8 GANNE/I'.
•teal fan OCW annther.aml an unguarded nest is seldom left long uithout be mi; systemat ieall y and deliberately
plundered by the neighbouring pairs. Numbers of birds may he noticed at all times during the summer flying
towards the Rock, hearing in their beaks large lumps of seaweed, which they have secured floating on the
waler. The materials made use of soon become compressed, owing to the constant weight of one or other of
the parents, and decompose so rapidly from the effects of the guano, that there is no chance of the quantities
of rubbish collected ever assuming any evoessive bulk.
The egg is siugular in texture and appearauce. When fresh-laid it is of a clear white or bluish tint,
coated here and there with a covering of a chalky nature; the shell rapidly assumes a darker hue, stained by
the dirt from the nest and discoloured by the tilth that clings to the webs of the parents as they waddle over
the slimy ledges.
The aspect of the Rass Rock during summer and winter differs considerably. After the departure of the
birds, the conspicuous stains of the guano rapidly disappear from the face of the cliffs when exposed to the
force of the winter gabs, and a transformation from white to a dark grey at once takes place.
It may not be nut of place to give a list of the birds that usually breed on the Bass. The numbers of
many species have eon-iderablj ilimiui-licd during the last few year-, and utbers, formerly abundant when
1 was first acquainted with the Rock, had at the time of my last visit almost entirely ceased to put in an
appearance during the uesting-seasuu.
PERCCHISE. A pair not unfrequently attempt to rear their young on the Rock. I am afraid their efforts
arc seldom successful, having noticed them on several occasions making nst- of very accessible ledges.
KESTREL. This species is not a regular breeder; but I have repeatedly seen a pair circling round the
rocks, and on one occasiun obtained a view of the young on a lodge in the deep crevice on the
west side.
JACKOAW. These robbers were uumerous between twenty and thirty years back, and, having made
themselves excessively disagreeable by preying on eggs, excited the wrath of the tenant, who thinned
them down by poison. They formerly nested in the rabbit-burrows near the summit and also iu
parts of the buildings. At the time of my lust visit they were exceedingly scarce. Though a few
were reported as breeding, they escaped my notice.
ROCS-TIPIT. This l'ipit nests in some numbers on the Bass, principally among the old ruins, but iu a
few instauccs on the ledges on the south side.
BLACKBIRD. A few pairs of these birds are during most seasons to be found among the buildings. The
nests are usually placed among the ruins of the old fortifications; and I also discovered two or three
during different seasons in a sheltered nook on the west side. A situation was chosen on one occasion
within a few yards of the eyrie of the Peregrine.
SHELDUCK. I saw one clutch of eggs taken off the Rock. The nest was placed iu a rabbit-hole in a
small open piece of ground amongst the lower part of the buildings on the south side.
LIIIJI.I;. A ]iair used now and then to lay in sheltered corner- among the lower range of buildings. The
treatment they nici w - ills was not encouraging ; and after being robbed for several siu-ee-sive seasons,
the birds entirely deserted the spot.
GANNET. By far the most numerous of the summer visitors.
Couuos GI II.I.I WOT. Numbers resort to the Rock ; but as they mostly frequent the higher ledges, a fewonly
can be detected from the water. The Ringed Guillemot may be seen in small numbers every
LLAZORULL.L,. Not nearly so plentiful as the Guillemot. These birds have decreased greatly during the
past few years. Their favourite positions appear to lie the higher ledges on the north-west side.
G AN NET. 9
PUFFIS. Par more abundant than a stranger would imagine on paj iug a mid-d iv \ i-il to tin' Hock. The
holes in the masonry of the old fortifications are their quarters.
SnAG. A pair occasionally nest in the east cave; and some years back I saw them frequenting the
west side.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GT/IX. Seldom more than a pair or two now seen resorting to the Rock during
the breeding-season. The nests are placed on the grassy slopes near the summit.
IlEllliINo-Gi Scarcely more plentiful than the last -peeie., t liong'i I line di-eoi er. d a- iu.ur, a - 11 o' •••
nests in one day while searching tin' ledges among the detached slab, of slone on the higher parts of
the Rock. Many pairs of this Gull and also of the lesser Black-hacked fell victims to the poison
laid out for the Jackdaws; they have never regained their former numlicrs.
KITTIWAKE. The most numerous of tho Gulls. There are hundreds of nests on the narrow ledges iu
the steep face of the Rock on the north, east, and west sides.
The above list is made up entirely from my own observations on the Rock between l*H2 and 1874, I have
not visifed the locality since fho latter year, and prefer to trust only to my own experience. I am aware
that the Cormorant, Great Blaek-baeked (lull, and Common Gull are reported to have bred on the Rock of late
years: if such has been the case, I can only state that their nests entirely escaped my notice.
A few remarks extracted from my notes concerning the Gaunets brought from the ll.iss and reared in
confinement may supplv some information which could scarcely be obtained while studying their habits iu a
wild state.
" 1874, August 10th. Pour young Gannets taken from the Rock. These birds were full-fledged and
proved exceedingly troublesome to feed.
" September 10th. The captive Geese were now more tractable, and took their food when offered to them
without needing to have it rammed down their throats. I imagine the whiting aud baddies with which we
were obliged to feed them were not so acceptable as the herrings or mackerel usually supplied by their parents;
it was, however, impossible to procure other fish at Canty Bay. The amount of phosphoric matter in tho
whiting is very remarkable. Often when passing at night the sheds where the birds were kept, I noticed that
any fragments of fish left from the previous day, and even the boards on which they had been cut DP for tho
small birds (Guillemot-), gave out a pale luminous vapour, which seemed to hoi er round the spot, flickering up
more brightly from time to time.
"1875, August. Early in the month received two young Geese from Canty Bay. These were younger
by at least a fortnight than those taken the preiious year, aud very shortly became reconciled to confinement.
"1870, August. During the first week two young Geese were sent from Canty Bay. Profiting by the
experience of former years, birds w Inch were hut half-fledged bad been selected, and far less t rouble w:is ea t-ed."
The various changes of plumage exhibited by the Gaunets in confinement during tho immature stages can
readily be traced by an examination of the rlates.
" 18711, March. Early in the month a nest was built in the shed to which the birds resorted for shelter
during the winter mouths. The structure corresponded precisely with those I have examined on the Bass,
being composed of seaweed and coarse grass. These materials had been supplied for some weeks, the pair
having previously attracted attention by collecting sticks and feathers, as well as tearing up the grass
round their enclosure. It was seldom that the nest was deserted by both birds, one or oilier being almost
always on guard.
" May 1th. The female bad continued on the nest for some days, and it was at last discovered she was
covering an egg. After sitting five or sis days the younger birds succeeded in dragging away sume of the
materials and smashed the egg. The nest was reconstructed immediately ; but though the bird continued
silling for several days, it was eventually deserted.