SULIBJE: G AN NETS, BOOBIES. 953 



AnhingidcE, Sulidce, and Pelecanidce being more closely related to one another. Such inter- 

 relationships might serve for formal division of the order into 3 suborders, one containing 

 Tr()})ie-birds akme, another the Man-of-war birds, and a third the Cormorants, Darters, Gan- 

 uets, and Pelicans. But as it is hardly necessary to insist upon this refinement, I proceed at 

 once to consider the 6 families. 



Family SULID-<E : Gannets ; Boobies. 



Bill rather longer than head, cleft to beyond eyes, very stout at base, tapering and a little 

 decurved toward tip, whicli however is not hooked, the tomia irregularly serrate, or rather 

 lacerate. An evident nasal groove. Nostrils abortive. Gular sac little developed, but naked 

 and thus obvious. Wings rather long, pointed ; 1st primary longest. Tail long, stiflT, wedge- 

 shaped, 12-18-feathered. Feet stout and serviceable, more nearly beneath centre of equilib- 

 rium than in some other families of this order; tarsus rather short ; 3d and 4th toes of about 

 ecpial lengths. General configuration somewhat that of a Goose ; body stout ; neck rather 

 long ; head large, uucrested ; plumage compact. Marine. 



Two carotids ; oil-gland disc-like ; cceca very small ; gall-bhidder large. Pneumaticity 

 extreme, even to intermuscular air-cells. Ambiens, femorocaudal, and semitendinosus present ; 

 accessories absent ; former with a peculiarity of insertion. Sternum very long for its breadth; 

 coracoids nearly parallel with its axis. The relationships of the family are decidedly with 

 Cormorants. 



Gannets are large lieavy sea-birds of various parts of the world. There are numerous 

 well-established species, of which the six following are the principal ones. They are piscivo- 

 rous, and feed by plunging on their prey from on liigh, when they are completely submerged 

 for a few moments ; but they do not appear to dive from the surface of the water like Cormo- 

 rants. The gait is firm ; the flight vigorous and protracted, performed with alternate sailing 

 and flapping. In fliglit the neck is held straight, at full length, after the manner of Cormo- 

 rants, Geese, Storks, Ibises, etc. Although so heavy, they swim lightly, owing to the re- 

 markable pneumaticity of the body, already noticed. They are highly gregarious ; the common 

 Gannet congregates to breed in almost incredible numbers on rocky coasts and islands of high 

 latitudes, while the Booby similarly assembles on low shores of warmer seas. The nest is 

 none, or a rude bulky structure of sticks and seaweed, placed on rocks or in low thick bushes ; 

 egg, generally single, elliptical or long-ovate, plain greenish in ground color, but encrusted 

 with white calcareous matter ; two are sometimes laid. Both sexes incubate ; they are alike 

 iu color, the young being diflferent. 



SU'LA. (Norse sula or side. Havsida, meaning '^ sea-swallow," is a Scandinavian name of 

 the common Gannet.) Gannets. Character of the family, as above. The white Gannet, 

 type of 7J//.s^90?'MS Illigek, 1811, difi'ers subgenerically from the brown Boobies wiiich have 

 generally been referred to DysporuH. but one of which becomes by elimination tlie type of 

 Sula Brisson, 17G0, as now restricted. 



Analysis oj Species {adults). 



Gannets. Lower jaw, chin, and throat not extensively naked. (Subgenus Dysporiis.) 



White, with black primaries, head washed with amber. Naked parts of head, and feet, blackisli. Tail 12- 



feathered. Young spotted. Atlantic coast bassiina 



Boobies. Lower jaw, chin, and throat extensively naked. (Subgenus Sula.) 

 Plumage extensively white on head, neck, and back. 



Feet red or reddish ; face and sac blue. Tail of lG-18 feathers. Florida cunnnp.i 



Feet red ; face blue ; sac blackish. Tail of U-16 feathers. Florida pisoilor 



Feet blue. Tail of IG feathers. Lower California neboiixi 



Plumage extensively or entirely brown on head, neck and back ; belly white. 



Feet greenish ; face blue. Tall of 14 feathers. Lower California laeusteri 



Feet yellowish ; face light-colored. Tail of 1--14 feathers. S. Atl.intic oo:i«t sula 



