352 THE GANNET 



As might have been expected, the habit of thus covering 

 its egg is common to Sula capensis (the Gannet of South 

 Africa) and to S. serrator of Austraha. Of the former, 

 Mr. W. L. Sclater says, " Only one egg is laid : on this the 

 bird sits very closely, covering it with its large webbed 

 feet."* Of S. serrator Mr. A. Mattingley, who has recently 

 visited the Lawrence Rocks gannetry,f writes : "I have 

 photographs taken by me showing this peculiar habit of 

 holding the single egg which forms their full clutch. The 

 egg is always held between the web of two toes. . . ."J§ 



* " Ibis," 1904, p. 84. 



t " The Victorian Naturalist," 1908-9, p. 18. 



I In lift., March 1st, 1910. 



§ I do not find any mention by authors of Boobies (Stda cyanops, S. 

 leucogaster, S. piscator, etc.) placing their feet on their eggs, so perhaps 

 they do not do it, theii" mode of nidification being different from that of 



the true Gannets in several ways. As I have not a photograph of Sula 

 hassana with its feet on the egg, I am grateful to Mr. Mattingley for one 

 of S. serrator done in Bass Strait, Australia. 



