7 
Dr. R. 0. Cunningham on the Solan Goose. 
origin of the name Solan is then given, and will be seen to 
differ from that commonly adduced :—“ Hi anseres nomine vul- 
gari e Latino, ut puto, detorto, Solen vocantur, quod male pro- 
nunciant Soland, id est, anniversarii: ad nos enim veniunt semel 
unica solum vice in toto anno.” The second passage relating 
to the bird is to be found in the account of the islands of the 
Firth of Forth (p. 90), and contains the following additional 
particulars :—“ Edinburgenses 25 sc. solvunt pro uno ansere. 
* * coloris subcinericei sunt juniores, adulti albi, oblongum 
habent collum more gruis, rostrum acutissimum majoris digiti 
longitudine, & flavo colore. * * Os, quod vulgo de Bril * ap- 
pellamus, in aliis avibus separari ab osse pectoris potest, in hoc 
vero minime, ita ut nulla vi avelli queat, ideo illi annexum, ne 
in pontum desiliens, dum haleces sectatur, nimia sua violentia 
collum rumpat. * * Multi tamen ex iis hoc modo interimuntur; 
Asserem nautse glabrum lsevigant & dealbant, eique haleces an¬ 
il ec tun t, quern asserem loco puppis cymbse alligant, & quern 
Anseres videntes & arripere rostro conati, rostrum tarn firmiter 
asseri impingunt, ut illud evellere nequeant, sed capiantur, aut 
potius se ipsos capiant.” 
The Gannet is mentioned several times by Ray, in his ( Itine¬ 
raries/ He informs us that on the 19th August, 1661, on his 
way to Leith he “ viewed Tontallan Castle, and passed over to 
the Basse Island, where we saw on the rocks innumerable of the 
soland geese. The old ones are all over white, excepting the 
pinion or hard feathers of their wings, which are black. The 
upper part of the head and neck, in those that are old is of a 
yellowish dun colour; they lay but one egg apiece, which is 
white and not very large. They are very bold and sit in great 
multitudes till one comes close up to them, because they are 
not wont to be scared or disturbed. The young ones are es¬ 
teemed a choice dish in Scotland, and sold very dear (Is. 8 d. 
plucked). We eat of them at Dunbar. They are in bigness 
little inferior to an ordinary goose. The young one is upon 
the back black, and speckled with little white spots, under the 
breast and the belly gray. The beak is sharp-pointed, the 
mouth very wide and large, the tongue very small, the eyes 
* The furculum. 
