52 ^LH-A FIBER. 



tiL' r.ipidly exchanged, while each vociferously prDclaiincd ils rights. The inns*^ of tlic strife 

 fn(|uciitly jittractud the attention of the birds which were in the immediate vicinity, and 

 somctinujs a third, itr even a fourth, evidently mates of the contesting parties, would join 

 in the fray, until two, locking bills, would pull and tug for a time, then, losing their foot- 

 ing, roll over and over, for the shelf was an inclined piano, until reaching the edge of the 

 clilf, t!icy would go down still clinging to each other. When lalling, they seldom cndcaA- 

 orcd to sprca.d their wings, but striking violently upon some projecliug rock, woul<l bound 

 olf and drop half stunned into the water far beneath. The Murres were breeding in close 

 proximity to this place and if one chanced to approach to near the irritable Gannets, it was 

 seized by the nock and unceremoniously dropped over the precipice. 



I found tlia,t the Gaiinets which occupied the rocky shelves, were ijuite bold and when 

 I endeavored to uudve my way along the slippery ledges, supported liy a rope, they would 

 attempt to dispute my passage, striking out fiercely at me with their strong bills. The 

 young Gannets, of which their were several on the shelves, are naked when hatched and 

 ver}' helpless, being fed by regurgitation. Fishes are taken into the stomach of the parent 

 and reduced into a perfectly transparent fluid which is somewliat gelatinous, and whicli is 

 ejected in sniitll quantities into the mouths of the olfspring; then when a little older they 

 eat half digested fish. Mackerel appeared to form the principal diet of the Gannets while 

 I remained in the Gulf of St Lawrence, and the birds capture these agile fishes by flying 

 over the water to the height of fifty feet or more, then diving when they perceive one in 

 the proper position to secure, often becoming submerged for some minutes after the plunge. 

 Their prey which is swallowed whole and often living, is fre(juently very large, ami I ha\e 

 seen mackerel at least eighteen inches long, lying upon the rocks where they had been dis- 

 gorged. Although the Gannets are heavy birds, they ride lightly upon i\\v. water, as they 

 are provided with large- air-cells that are situated along their sidt'S, lietween the skin and 

 body, and can l)e inflated at will. Bird Rock is the southernmost breeding ground of this 

 species on (jur coast and probably the largest, for I estimated that there were, at least, 

 twenty thousand Gannets nesting on the great and lesser rocks. They winter along the 

 coast from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. 



SULA FIBER. 

 Booby Gannet. 

 Sulajibcr Law., Bird>, N. A.; 1S5H, 872. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp. Oh. Form, rather robust. Size, nut Urge. Colur. Adult. The head and neeli all around and upper parts, 

 dark-ljrowu, tinged with asliy. White tjelow. Iris, white, Ijill, nalied space about head, and leet, yellow. Yuunij, ashy- 

 brown throughout, lighter beneath. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Easily reeognized by the small size, and brown, unspotted ui)per parts. Occurs on the coast of I'lorida. ('onslaiitly 

 rcsidt'ut on the Bahamas. Accidental as far nortli as Massaeliusetts. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average meiusurements of specimens. Length, 3(> 50; .stretch, 41'00; wing, Vy7^, tail, 8-25; bill, :f-75; tarsus, I'till. 

 Longest specimen, 31 00; greatest extent of wing, 42-00; longest wing, 16-50; tail, 8-.5(l; bill, 3-011; t:irsus, |-7'J. ShcH-test 

 specimen, 3!)00; smallest extent of wing, 40-00; shortest wing, 15-00; t-ail, 8-00; bill, 3-()(l; tarsus, ris. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND ECUS. 

 E(j(/s, usually placed on the naked ground or rock, one or two in number, oTal in Iojbii, greenish-blue in color. Di- 

 mensions from 1 -.50x2- 15 to 1 -.58x2-65. 



