TAMENESS OF THE BIRDS 47 



plumage of the adult is entirely white, with the 

 exception of a narrow ring of black feathers en- 

 circling the eye. The bill, as I have already noted, 

 is jet black, while the feet are pale sea-blue, the 

 webs joining the toes being milky white. Both 

 old and young have the middle toe furnished 

 with a strong and sharp claw, which is specially 

 useful to the young bird when it is in danger of 

 falling from the nesting place. 



Several pairs of gannets*, a smaller bird than 

 our well-known solan goose, but somev/hat simi- 

 liarly coloured when adult, were found sitting 

 on their nests or tending their young. The nests 

 were in every case a collection of sticks placed 

 in a suitable position on the fallen trees. We found 

 no eggs, but the young were in all stages of growth. 

 The newly-hatched bird is covered with pure 

 white down, but it has a black bill, and a patch of 

 bare black skin surrounding the eyes and extend- 

 ing down the neck under the chin. The down 

 on the forehead stands erect, and gives the bird 

 a most comical appearance. 



Photographs were obtained of these birds 

 without any difficulty, and most of the old gannets 

 took no notice at all of our presence. In fact, 

 one old bird, which was sitting by a well-grown 

 youngster, took so little interest in our proceedings 

 that we found it necessary to wake it up in order 

 to take its portrait. 



* Sula piscator. 



