Identifier: withnatureandcam00kear (find matches)
Title: With nature and a camera; being the adventures and observations of a field naturalist and an animal photographer
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Kearton, Richard, 1862-1928
Subjects:
Publisher: London, Paris, New York, Melbourne, Cassell and company, limited
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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have supplied ourrather sanguinary-minded old friend Martin withwhat he frankly calls a very agreeable diversion. Martin says that he made particular inquiryas to how many 8olan Geese were killed and eatenin St. Kilda in a year, and found that in a badseason no less than twenty-two thousand fivehundred had been caught and consumed. Both thepeople and the birds appear to have been morenumerous then than now. One authority has estimated the number ofGannets breeding on the St. Kilda group of islandsat two hundred thousand, and computed their summerconsum))tion of fish at two hundred and fourteenmillions, adding that the sight of the birds restingon Stack Lee is one of tlu^ wonders of the world. The Solan Geese return to their breeding quarterson Borrcra and the adjoining rock stacks in )\Iarch,about the middle of which month the St. Kildansgo forth in their Ijoats to raid the sleeping birdsunder the cover of darkness. According to Sands,the foray is managed in tlic following way:—Two
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GANNET AND YOUNG. 92 WITH NATURE ANT) A CAMERA. men fastened at either end of a rope ascend therocks, and on all-fours crawl along the ledge wherethe geese are resting. The latter have always asentinel posted, who, if he thinks all is well, cries, Gorrok! Gorrok I on hearing which the fcnvlersadvance ; but if the sentinel cries Beero! the menremain motionless with their bonnets drawn overtheir brows, and their faces on the rock. If thesentinel fancies it was a false alarm, and againcries Gorrok I the first fowler progresses until heis near enough to grasp the sentinel and twist hispowerful neck. The sentinel gone, the wliole flockfalls into a state of panic and bewilderment, andcrowd upon the man on all sides. He has notliingto do but despatch them. But it sometimes happensthat the whole troop take flight with a l^eero!harro! boo I when the men have to crawl backwithout any game for that night. On returning from their winter rpiarters the birdsare allowed, to get tlioroughly settled d

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