6 AN NET.
Than arc reckoned In iw about three acres of paatnre * on the upper PORTIOA of the Rock ; and up till MOM
twenty jean ago the birds made use of several opea grassy slopes above the buildings on the south atda ami
also on the siimniit af the cliffs towards tin* north. The nests on these spots have now disappeared; hut at
the time of my last visit a very moderate eliiohi'r might, without the slightest risk, explore many of the ledges
si ill resorted to. In Hie early part of the season, when tlie birds commence laying, a smaH number of eggs are
annually taken. A few are bought by collectors at the price of sixpence each ; and I have heard the boatmen
informing credulous sightseers that n score or so were sent regularly to Loudon, as Royalty was pleased to
approve of them for breakfast. 1 cannot vouch for the truth of this statement, having omitted to make any
impiiry. But a single egg is deposiled ; urn] the men in charge of the Hock declare that, unless this is removed
the morning after it is laid, the female will make no further attempt nt nesting for that year. Iu a few
instances, perhaps once or twice during a season, I have remarked a couple of eggs. It is usually supposed
when this incurs that two pairs have made use of the same uest or the eggs have been moved by visitors. The
bird engaged in the duty of incubation Invariably, liefore silting, spreads the webs of one foot carefully over
the egg, next places the other foot as closely as possible over the first, and then drops onto the nest. I have
watched this habit in the wild state and also with those I kept in confinement.
The Bass is a busy sight about the latter end of June, by which date young; birds are to he observed on
most parts of the Hock. While small and uncovered with down the nestlings are seldom left unprotected, one
or other of Hie old birds remaining constantly on guard. It is amusing to watch the greetings that take place
between the pair when one returns after a lengthened voyage in search of prey. The whole of the food carried
to the Hock is swallow ed when caught, and afterwards disgorged either on or close to the nest. The pieces
of ftsh that are thrown up, whether whole or in fragments, are again greedily devoured with much clamour by
both parents. When their meal is partially digested the young bird Is fed. The nutriment supplied to the
nestling in its earliest stages is in either a soli or almost liquid state: the old bird, stooping forward, stretches
down its head sideways, and opening its jaws to the fullest extent, completely conceals its diminutiie offspring;
the young one then helps itself to the preparation ejected into the gullet of the parent.
Though the food is usually picked up cither in the Firth or a few miles at sea, I have noticed adult
Hairnets on two or three occasions lishhig oil' the Dogger Hank iu the hitter part of June. It is most probable
that these birds were from the Bass, though the distance could he little short of two hundred miles. While
fishing or cruising in the North Sea, between twenty and thirty miles off the Hock, I now and then observed
small parlies returning from their lishiug.excursions. When a supply can be obtained in the Firth, the birds
ore to bo seen dashing down iuerssnnlly, anil repeatedly making their way lo the Rock to discharge their cargo.
In the half-roltcn mass of lisb on some of the ledges it is easy to recognize the result of each catch laying in
the shape iu which it was disgorgi-d. Half a dozen herrings or three or four mackerel may' commonlv be
noticed neatly and compactly wedged together. In some instances the heads arc partially digested; this
probably occurs after a protracted journey iu quest of food has been undertaken. As many as half a dozen
of such parcels of fish arc nt times to be counted round a single nest; though considerably larger, they
strikingly resemble the bundles of dried sprats exhibited on the counter of the fishmonger. There are also
among the cracks and crevices of the rocks countless portions in a stale of decomposition. The whole of the
refuse forms a most uuini Ring and repulsive spectacle, while the disgusting odour that assails the nasal organs
can he more easily imagined than described. ,\s (he young increase in size, and the nests and ledges become
thoroughly saturated with guano, the effect is considerably heightened ; the stench that arises from the
steaming nests under the scorching rays of the summer sun after a wet morning is positively overpowering.
* Some IUTH karL a Kiin- or so of «h. <p utrcl to be not out U> Ltd OB Iho island. A | ull.y filed among the old fortilUalitmi on llie aouto
face of iLa TUI k, wl" ic It i' chili arc ¡„111:1 lu I'LI-. u..- in.| h.j cd ly 1 .i,.l lb..- .miui-il-i. III'.LJI^ Ilium above tbe narrow and BILU[M ry loulUMi win, h
visitors die J'Ticd In II. tl," lb' it n sy I '3 -tils the autbloit.
GANNBT. 3
I have at times been forced to beat a speedy retreat when attempting a visit to some of Hie breeding-stations
on the north bee of the cliffs.
The young Gannets at the age of a month or six weeks (their black faces surrounded by tufts of down
W Inch si rongly resemble white lightcaps] are exceedingly comical, though for the most part ill-tempered and
peevish little tyrants. When first they waddle a yard or so from their nest, it is most commonly to pilch into
some smaller and more helpless infant, which is not iinl'reqiieiilly seined by the hack of the neck and shaken
in the most pitiless manner. Though the injury they are capable of inllietiug on one another is slight, their
battles are often attended with fatal results; one or other, or occasionally both, of the combatants lose their
balance, and, rolling from the ledge, fall over the precipice and are dashed to pieces oo the rocks below. liven
the old birds are tit times spiteful to youngsters that intrude on their quarters or are imagined to threaten
their own offspring. Any unfortunate that has slipped from its nest to some lower ledge during the absence of
the parent receives unmerciful slabs from the powerful beak of every adult it approaches, and In the end is
either hammered to death or forced over the cliffs. Ou the north and east sides of the Rock the tide bears
away all signs of such accidents. Than is, however, on the north-west a ledge a short distance above highwater
mark that stretches for about one hundred yards below the dill's, and over which Ihe wares only break
during henry gales. This ridge is seldom visited; and the sight that meets the view when the upper part is
reached is certainly cruel and revolting. Dead and dying Gannets in various stages, from the new ly-hatch I
and naked squab to the adult in perfect plumage, were lying either jammed among the crevices or maimed
and mangled in the pools of rain-water when I last made my way to the spot, Numbers of carcasses partly
decomposed were observed, and it needed over a dozen shots to put those that had survived the injuries caused
by their fall out of their misery. The larger juveniles probably owed their misfortunes to nu irritable and
querulous disposition, which had brought about contentions with their neighbours; the adults, however (of
whom I counted three or four), must have been Btruck by falling stones. Pieces of rock are not uufrcquently
dislodged during rough weather, and, dashing down among the crowds of birds, scatter death and destruction
on all sides.
The landlord of the inn at Canty Hay, who also hires the Bass Rock, depends mainly on the Geese • for
paying his rent. The average take for each season was, at the time of my last visit in 1ST t, about eight or
nine hundred full-Hedged young birds. The number, however, depends greatly on the weather, as should the
rocks remain wet and slippery- from continued rain, it, renders the work of going over lo collect them both
dangerous and unpleasant. To add to the discomforts or the undertaking, the liquid guano not uufrequently
lies in pools at least a foot deep ou some of the ledges and in the cracks of the rocks. Strong winds also
greatly interfere with the successful working of the ropes. Up tiU twenty or five and twenty years ago as
many as 1500 or t!000 were occasionally taken; hut since Hint time- tbo birds have decreased iu number,
neglect and defecti\ e management being luo-t probably the cause of the billing-oll'.
Alter being plucked and cleaned, some are sent to the markets at Birmingham, Manchester, and other
large pio\ incial tow n-, and generally bring iu from cightpenee to tenpeneo each. Others are hawked about
the country iu carts and sold for what they will letch ; while a lew hundreds are cookixl at Cauly Bay, and
eagerly bought up by the harvest-labourers of the district for a shilling each. A roast Goose also appears lo
be a favourite dish with some of the visitors at North Berwick. For my own part, I must confess that the
stink of the oil and the cooking at Canty Bay set me for ever against such a greasy and highly—rented
delicacy. The fat that comes out of the inside of the birds, w ben cleaned, is boiled down into uil, and sold for
farming-purposes at the price of three or lour shillings a gallon. In addition to Ibis, the feathers realize from
lift ecu to eight ecu shillings a stone, a boo I one hundred I iecsc producing: Millicieut tea I hers to weigh a stone ;
these arc used for making beds, but have to go through sonic powerful baking process iu order Lo remove