234 COMMON GANNET.
composed in a great measure of sea-weeds, shrink up in dry weather,
and decompose in wet; and when seated close together they have frequent
quarrels. I saw one seize its neighbourly the back of the
neck, until the latter, I may say, roared out ; but in general, they are
satisfied with menacing each other with open bills and loud clamour.
In leaving the nest, they generally scatter about a quantity of the materials
of which it is composed, for they are extremely awkward in their
motions when on the ground, hobbling and limping along, aiding
themselves with their wings, and draggling the abdominal feathers
and tail.
" In launching from the clifls, they frequently utter a single plaintive
cry, perform a curve, having its concavity upwards, then shake the tail,
frequently the whole plumage, draw the feet backwards, placing them
close under the tail* on each side, and cover them with the feathers.
In some the feet were entirely covered, while in others parts of the
toes were apparent. In flying, the body, tail, neck, and bill, are nearly
in a straight line, the wings extended and never brought close to the
body, and they move by regular flappings, alternating with short sailings.
In alighting, they generally ascend in a long curve, keeping
their feet spread, and come down rather heavily, often finding it difficult
to balance themselves, and sometimes, when the place is very steep,
or when another bird attacks them, flying off, to try it a second time.
On the rocks they stand with the body nearly horizontal, or they lie.
on their belly, although some may be seen in an oblique or even nearly
erect posture. They usually repose with the hèad resting between the
shoulders, the bill concealed among the feathers of the back. I caught
one in that state, by walking up to it, and seizing it by the tail and
the tips of the wings, which cross each other over it.
" Owing to their interference with each other, a constant noise is
kept up amongst them. Their cry is hoarse and harsh, and may be expressed
by the syllables carra, ca/rra, carra, or Jcirra, Jvi/rra, hirra, or
crac, crac, crac. The cry varies considerably in different individuals,
some having a sharper voice than others, and when unusually irritated
they repeat it with great rapidity* An ornithological writer -thinks
they cry grog, grog ; but neither Mr Audubon nor myself interpreted
their notes so, otherwise we could have satisfied a few at least, as we
had a bottle of whisky and a keg. of water.
" The young are at first covered with very beautiful close snow-white
COMMON GANNET.
— the feathers make their appea*.
ance amongvthe down, wi^two months old#£,birds B S I
WÊÊÊÊKmÊBBBÊ ^SBMmM g i n t o fl-v- 1 h e 01,1
tod at tot ¿feeds the young with a fand of fish-soup prepared m its
gullet .'and — I «'hi,h it introduces drop by drop » g were..
into WKMÊ But,when , BB B H | HWMBWWI and disgwges the fish eM>er .entire- or m fragments
WÊÊ never carry fish to the rock m the* hills. Tie smallest
number of young tolled m a year is a
s a n d . but mineral the ..umber i* fifteen »r sixteen hundred. After
m m a s m sold at from sixpences a shilling each. „The
price,of a young-bird for stuffing is two .hillings ; of an old bird five,
of aril egg one, For the information contained-in this paragraph 1 am
indebted'to the 'keeper, • ,
At. the period of my second.visit with Mr &MWbom (the 19th
August 1835), the r ^ t s m most place, had aim«* entirely disappeared,
W W only during incubation, that the birds keep them in constant
repafe The .young were.Myariouâ stages, a B quite small and
all over with white down, the greater number partially fledged,
With §|e down refnftiningion the head am! neck, and some nearly ready
to fly, and having mereiy-a few tufts of down on the hind neck. The
young lay-flat, either on the remnants of their n«Bt,,or ®n the bare rock
or ground. They arc very patient and uncomplaining; in tact, none
u t t a » ( a single cry, while » e w e inspecting them. I observed an
„1,1 liird, with its-own young beside it,, squeeze, the neck of another.
younglWg With considerable, force, The poor bttd 1,ore the persecution
with perfect resignation, and merely cowered under the bill of the tyrant
The young" of the latter also attacked its neighbour, but was
instantly .checked, on which it, meekly desiste.d„ One of thé men informed
me that last year there were fourteen nests,, Sach with tup eggs.
In such cases,, one of,-the .young is said to hemuoh smaller than the
PiiiiECAinis »a»san«,/A«.-Nau vol. 217 —Latk. Xnd. Ornith. vol. ii. B, 891.
StjiA hamaka, Ch. BUnfart'., Sjnopsi* of Binfe o{ United States, p. 408.
(i an KKT) Xutia'l, Maimai, vol. ii. p. 495.
Adult Male: Plate CCCXXVl . Fig. 1.