38 o 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
known abodes. Their return each feafon points 
out alfo that of the fhoals of the herring, which 
they hover over, purfue, and chiefly feed upon. 
Thefe fhoals, at that feafon of increafmg warmth, 
are poured forth on their fouthern rout, gliding 
forward in wide glittering columns of myriads upon 
myriads, from the unknown but prolific regions of 
the northern pole. Thefe prodigious fhoals, with 
their divifions and fubdivifions, in their branched 
courfe around the Britifh ifles, are attended by the 
Gannet. On our fouthern coafts the Pilchard af- 
fords thefe birds another fupply of food, in purfuit 
of which they are enticed as far fouthward as the 
Mediterranean fea. 
The Corvbrant and the Shag remain with us 
throughout the year, but particularly on our more 
northern fhores, upon whofe rocky fhelving preci- 
pices they flation themfelves, and perform the. of- 
fices of incubation, while ftragglers occafionally 
taking a wider range, with outfliretched neck and 
vigorous wing fweep along the coaft, and entering 
the mouths of the rivers, follow their courfe in 
queft of food, to the lakes inland, 
