COMMON GANNET. 417 



the nest. The eggs vary considerably in size, and are more 

 or less crusted with -white calcareous matter, under which 

 the colour is pale blue. The form is oval or oval-oblong. 

 One from the Bass measures 3 inches by 2^ ; another 2|4 

 by lii ; one from St. Kilda 2^ by lj% 



Young. — At first the young bird resembles that of a 

 Cormorant. One, about four days old, from the Bass, seen 

 with Mr. Wilson, on the 20th July 1824, was almost bare ; 

 the general colour of the skin dark Icaden-blue, deepest on 

 the head, paler and mixed with red (derived from the soil ?) 

 on the belly. Down very sparse, pure white. Bill and feet 

 of the same colour as the skin ; claws and tip of the bill pale 

 horn-colour. Iris very narrow, Avhitish. 



The down gradually increases. A young bird, about five 

 weeks old, from the Bass, seen with Mr. Wilson, 20th July, 

 1824, had the bill and bare part of the face and throat, 

 which is very extensive, bluish-black ; the iris lightish ; the 

 feet brownish-black, the lines paler ; the claAvs light grey, 

 tinged with brown ; the Avhole body covered with very fine, 

 soft, pure white down. It continues thus, the white down 

 becoming longer, until the feathers spiout. 



In its first plumage the young is of a dark brown colour 

 above, paler beneath, but all the feathers tipped with white. 

 One from the Bass, examined in August 1831, had the whole 

 plumage deep brown, excepting the under parts, which were 

 paler, and towards the abdomen approaching to whitish ; the 

 feathers all tipped with a triangular white spot, excepting 

 the primary quills, primary coverts, alula, and tail-feathers. 



It is a very remarkable circumstance that the middle 

 claw, which in the adult is serrated, is quite entire in the 

 young bird, until after it has begun to fly ; and that the 

 edges of the bill, which are irregularly serrated in the adult, 

 have no appearance of cuts in the young. A more curious 

 fact still is the entire closing of the external nares. 



Progress toward Maturity. — In the first autumn the 

 plumage changes to a uniform dark greyish-brown on the 

 upper parts, the lower becoming whiter. In the next summer 



VOL. V. 2 E 



