42 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Of the family Graculus we are in possession of five species, 

 the most generally known one being G. carboides, Gould, Aus- 

 tralian Cormorant, which can at most times be observed in 

 our Botanical Gardens and river estuary, more particularly 

 during the present season, as this and the following one are each 

 day busily engaged with fishing in Hobson's Bay for young 

 1 2-inch barracouta and pilchards, which made their appear- 

 ance last July in great shoals, comprising millions of the 

 fish named, one pursuing the other and the cormorant both. 

 Although the range is wide, the bird shows a preference for 

 southern waters, keeping well down to the south-east. Physically 

 this family throughout is particularly strong, exercising all portions 

 of the body in its struggle for existence. In summer the white 

 throat markings of the male are pronounced ; in winter the 

 markings disappear. 



Of the genus Sula in this family we have four representatives, 

 the one most familiar to us being S. serrator, Banks, Australian 

 Gannet, which voyages from about the central portion of the 

 east coast, along the southern, and up to the same parallel of 

 the western, not venturing to stay in tropical regions. During 

 autumn they frequent our bay off St. Kilda and Williamstown. 

 The British species, S. bassana, which is generally to be seen in 

 European collections, fails to differ from this figured species, and 

 evidently performs those offices in the North which are done by 

 ours in the South. The Club has the prospect of an interesting 

 account regarding this Booby on return of our Flinders Group 

 expedition, as the breeding place will probably be seen in all its 

 phases. 



The species peculiar to equatorial parallels is S. leucogastra, 

 Bodd, Brown Gannet, extending from the northern coast to 140 

 E., and probably the limit. From this vicinity I have received the 

 skin, which is dark brown on the upper portion of the body, 

 prominently separated from neck to abdomen on the under 

 surface of the body by pure white. Bill and legs pale yellow. 

 The limey white of the egg, which is easily removed, then shows 

 a uniform blue, quite differently characterizing the specimen. 



The breeding seasons are during November and March, when 

 the nest is loosely constructed of dry herbage, and both sexes 

 incubate. A well-developed provision provided by Nature that 

 the Gannet should not injure itself when plunging into the sea 

 from a height of 25 or 30 feet is the " pillow " at the breast. 



Still continuing, we have Tachypetes minor, Gmelin, Small 

 Frigate Bird. The smaller of the two known, and strictly 

 confined to northern waters, is in its habits a " pirate of the 

 seas," preferring to allow others to obtain their food, then 

 by force making a transfer and claiming possession. It is 

 also an egg robber, as a correspondent writes : — " The Gannets 



