ledgat, the strung wind of the previous week baring probably Mown olF those that hid not already taken
their leave. A few old birds were flying round and occasionally settling, but the main body had entirely
disappeared from this part of the eoast.
The natives declare that the young Creese an1 driven off by the old when able to By. It is possible that
this occasionally happens (and 1 should imagine it highly probable, owing to the behaviour of my tame birds),
though I have repeatedly seen the young leaving the Reek of their own accord, "When almost I'nll-feathered
they may frequently be observed Happing their wings; and while so engaged f have noticed them, especially in
squally weather, lose their balance and come llittfering down from their ledges. In such cases they usually
manage to avoid striking the lower part of the Rock and reach the water in safety. On leaving the nest for
their lirst Bight, young birds seldom succeed in making their way further than one hundred and fifty or two
hundred yards from the Hock, so Weighty i- their condition that the wing'-, have not sutllelonl power lo enable
them lo gain a longer distance. The juveniles are supposed to be entirely deserted by their parents when
once they reach the water. I have seldom, if ever, met with old birds and young in the Brat plumage iu
company at sea ; and in not a single instance did I ever observe an adult paying the slightest attention to a
young oue after leaving the nest. It is a curious fact that not the least notice is taken of a young one falling
on the water, even by it* own parents; while on old bird that is shot will immediately draw scores around it,
w here I bey w ill remain Hying in circles till Ihe bird lias drifted a mile or two on the tide.
The men have an idea that the young after leaving the Rock are obliged lo remain for at least n week on
the water, till they have become light enough lo git on wing and prjctire food for themselves. When a gale
from the north-cast comes on shortly after a number of young have left the Rock, they are all blown ashore,
being unable to make headway against the force of the wind and sea. From my own observations I
was perfectly convinced thai when they first reach the water after leaving tbo nest they were utterly
incapable of rising on wing. 1 have rowed up alongside of numbers, and, though driving and even touching
them with the oars, they made no attempt to seek safely by flight; it was perfectly obvious that swimming
was their only resource for a time. I am aware that young birds when old enough to leave the nest are so well
nourished that they are capable of sustaining life for considerably over a week without food. A fanner in
the neighbourhood of Canty Hay having requested the men to procure him a young Goose alive, one was
brought ashore and placed under an inverted washing-tub till a chance occurred lo forward it to its destination.
The unfortunate bird, however, was entirely forgotten ; and it was not till tin1 fourteenth day that, the tub
being required, the captive was discovered. The poor creature was certainly rather light and weak, though by
no means in a hopeless condition. The weather, unluckily, happening to he rough, there was no fish at hand,
so tbo wretched hud was knocked on the head Lo prevent its dying of hunger.
I believe the young separate entirely from the old birds immediately after leaving the Rock. As far as I
have been able to judge, they make their way south at an earlier date than the birds iu the more advanced
stages. On the 2:lnl of September, lsstb, I shot a young one in the nestling-plumage about half a mile at sea,
olf the eoast of Sussex*. I have never met with adults iu this part of the Channel till some months later. The
Ganncts most commonly observed alteuding the fleets of herring-buat* in the North Sea during October aod
November aTe the adults and the intermediate stages of two and three years of age. From the 15th to the
2dth of December, 1878, large flocks of (ianncts wen: observed in the Channel between ten and twelve miles
off the land, and I particularly remarked that not a single bird of the year could he detected ; the majority
were in the adult, stage, though a few exhibiting a certain amount of black feathers ou the back (probably
lietwccu two and three years of age) wore occasionally seen. Immense shoals of sprats were doubtless the cause
G AN NET. 7
of this gathering. Gulls of various species, Divers, Guillemots, and Razorbills were also In attendance in tens
of thousands, the surface of the water fur miles being perfect ly alive with mixed swarms of noisy- and ravenous
sea-fowl. The white plumage of the countless multitudes of (ianncts, as they flew in circles and da-bed down
incessantly below the waves, appeared, when viewed at a distance against the dark and wintry sky, like clouds
of sleet or snow- drifting before the wind. On the lSth of Slay, IRSO, 1 observed two or three imtnalure birds
of one year old flying iu an easterly direction iu the Channel, about live or six miles olf the coast.
During the summer months hut small numbers of birds of the previous year make I heir appearance iu Ihe
neighbourhood of the Rass. In no case an' they permitted to intrude themselves on the ledges freqncntnl
by the adults; they may occasionally be seen sitting on some of the grassy slopes near tbo summit of the
Rock, in company with the iion-breeding birds of two, three, or four years of age. I nm of opinion that
but a small percentage of the Ganncts in the immature statics show themselves at ihe Rock; most probably
the greater number pass their lime entirely al sea till they- have reached maturity.
The actions of the Ganncts on land ore somewhat clumsy; their nests, however, nre in most instances
placed close to the edge or the cliffs, and but few steps are needed to cross tbo intervening space. When
launching themselves into the air, they appear Tor some distance to gain hut little assistance from their
wings, a considerable drop lieing made before they strike out from the rock. The graceful curve effect ed as
the birds swoop out from their brecding-ledges is sure to attract the notice of strangers when viewing
their haunts for the lirst time: on rising from the water they also Map for several yards over the surface, until
they attain sufficient power to mount into the air. I much doubt whether a Gannct could rise from the
ground, if Hat, unless assisted by a strong wind.
suffered from the
mdod a quantity of
' also shot by the
oor fellows, as they
is not uufrequently
Previous to the passing of the Sea-Hird Act, the Geese on the Rass occasions
depredations committed by boatloads of strangers, who sailed round the Rock and (
ammunition in blazing at the busy swarms engaged with their nests. Numbers I
fishermen from Dunbar and other parts of the coast. There was some .-xcuse for the>
made use of those they obtained for food, and when bait was scarce a skinned carcass
employed as bait for their crab-pots.
The note of the Gaunet is powerful, though fur from musical. If interfered with while sitting ou their
nests (and they seldom make a move unless threatened), the old birds will strike at the aggressor with their
sharp-1 win ted hills, giving vent at the same time to a succession of hoarse, croaking sounds, llcforc daybreak
I have on two or three occasions climbed to the summit of the Hass, ami looked down ou the silent multitudes
collected on the ledges, while the lirst rays of the rising sun lit up the scene. In almost every instance the
male and female were sitting side by side on the nesi, the young, If small, being hidden from v lew, and ihosa
of larger size in most instances snugly nestled between the parents. As the daylight increases, first one and
then another stretch out their necks and, uttering a low note, rise up and flap their wings. It is soon an
animatisl sight: the old birds may he seen on all sides rubbing their heads together aud going through the
most amusing antics, the larger nestlings frequently thrusting up their heads between the pair and joining iu
the performance. When once the day's work has fairly commenced then; is a constant cluuiour from all
quarters, as the birds in rapid succession slart olf in search of prey. The cry or the young in the first instance
is a feeble squeak, which shortly Increases iu strength, but docs not attain full power till after leaving
the nest.
Some remarkable descriptions of Ganncts' ursts have appeared iu print, in which the structures were
stated lo hare been piled up to an altitude of several feet. I nm at a loss to account for such assertions,
having seldom noticed one where the materials were accumulated to a greater height than six or eight inches.
Seaweed aud tussocks of coarse grass, torn from the pasturage near the summit of the rock, are used in
building, fresh supplies being continually added, even after the young are liatched. The birds frequently