The amazing Jim Ward from Wildlife Rescue in Scarborough brought in some interesting birding booklets the other day.
He handed us a number of Hutchinson 'Pockets' guides to birds from (we think) the 1950s.
They're edited by David Seth-Smith who, so the publications informs us, was also known as 'The Zoo Man'.
DSS was apparently the David Attenborough of his day and hosted programmes on BBC radio's Children's Hour.
In Series 3 of the pocket guides a section on gannets which, of course, are very close to our hearts, caught our attention:
'The cold pale eye of the old gannet is very characterstic but some years ago there was a dark-eyed bird at Bass Rock which was well known as Black-eyed Susan'.
We're intrigued.
If you know more about Mr Seth Smith or, indeed, 'Susan', please let us know.
Or click below to read more in an article called, 'Meet the Zoo Man' in an old edition of Radio Times.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/resources/radiotimes/pdf/RT-TVS-003-72dpi.pdf