SULA BASSANA 157 



in the Milan Museum, it is evident that the latter are referable to 

 P. injgmmis, while the former may be referable to P. africamis 

 (Gmel). 



The Pygmy Cormorant, though common in many parts of South- 

 eastern Europe, appears to be less so in the west of the Mediterranean, 

 and on the Italian coasts it is certainly rare. It has been met with 

 on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, but is far from conniion. The 

 species is no doubt very local in its distribution and sedentary in 

 the localities where it occurs. In its habits it resembles its congeners, 

 but differs from them in frequenting lakes and fresh water in prefer- 

 ence to the sea, although occurring also on the sea coast to a certain 

 extent. Its food consists chiefly of both fresh and salt water species 

 of fish. It breeds in colonies and in its nesting resembles the preceding 

 species, laying three or four chalky-white eggs of about 45 x 30 mm. 

 in size. 



SULA BASSANA (Linnjeus). 

 GANNET. 



Pelecanus bassanus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 217 (1766). 



Sula bassana, Lacep. <£■ Daudin, in Buff. Hist. Nat. {18mo D id ot), Quadr. 



xiv, p. 319, Ois. xvi, p. 30.3 (1799) ; Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. 



Mus. xxvi, p. 425; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1893, p. 105; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 



1900, p. 71. 



Description. — Adult male, winter, from North Tunisia. 



Entire plumage pure white, except the crown and nape, which are 

 tinged with yellowish-buff or cream-colour, and the quills and tail, which 

 are black, the latter being cuneate in shape. 



Iris glassy- white ; bill pale greyish-blue; bare space immediately in 

 front of the eye and at the base of the bill dark grey ; feet dark grey, with 

 pale blue lines on the toes. 



Total length 35 inches, wing 18-50, culmen 4'50, tarsus 2-25. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



Immature bird, winter, from North Tunisia. 



Entire upper-plumage dull blackish-brown, the head, neck and upper 

 wing-coverts covered with small triangular white spots, which become larger 

 on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; the underparts whitish, thickly mottled 

 with dull brown, particularly on the fore-neck. 



Bill and feet brown. Measurements almost the same as in the adult. 



