PELICANIDA. 567 
very rapidly towards the secondaries, which, as well 
as the tertials, are short, the whole wing being there- 
fore in shape much like that of the Swift; the front 
of the legs and the toes are green; the back of the 
legs and the webs are black; the webs extend to the 
hind toe, as in the Cormorant, but the legs are not 
placed so far behind as in that bird, consequently the 
Gannet does not assume such an upright position 
when on land. The young bird of the year has the 
whole of the head and neck dark dusky, thickly 
speckled with white; the back, scapulars, rump, 
wing and tail-coverts are the same, but the white 
spots, being merely a spot of that colour on the tip 
of each feather, are much less frequent where the 
feathers are largest; the primary quills and tail are 
dusky; the under parts appear lighter, the greater 
part of each feather being white and only the margins 
dusky. The correspondent of the ‘ Zoologist’ whom 
I have before quoted says the young when first 
hatched have a curious look-—little black imps, with 
a big head, fat body and tiny webbed feet, sprawling 
about the nest. They soon, however, become white, 
the down growing very rapidly and very thick, giving 
them, according to Yarrell, the appearance of large 
powder-puffs or masses of cotton. 
The egg is much like that of the Cormorant, but 
rather larger. 
