SULID.E — THE GANNETS — SI/LA. 



179 



change from the first plumage to the perfect adult dress must be a very gradual one, since scarcely 

 two individuals are exactly alike. In the youngest specimens the head and neck are light smoky 

 grayish, like the lower parts, considerably paler than the wings, the remigea having a slight glau- 

 cous cast. The first change toward maturity is seen in the darkening of the head and neck (or 

 lightening of the abdomen), so that the difference in color between the lower parts and the neck is 

 more or less distinctly marked. It is quite possible that this species sometimes becomes almost 

 wholly white, like S. piscator, since the specimen described above as being probably the adult in 

 full breeding-dress corresponds quite closely with some specimens of S. piscator which have nearly 



assumed the white dress of the perfect adult. This stage is represented in the collection by a single 

 specimen. A phase intermediate between this and the plumage generally considered the adult 

 (dusky head, neck, and breast, and white under parts), is represented by two examples, one from 

 Isabella Island, the other from Manzanillo Bay (both Western Mexico). This phase is similar to 

 the plumage usually considered the adult, but the brown of the breast passes gradually into grayish 

 white on the head. 



The Booby Gannet has only a limited claim to a place in the fauna of North 

 America, where its appearance is chiefly accidental on the southern coast from 

 Georgia southward, and along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. It is more common 

 about the Tortugas and among the Florida Keys, and is said to breed in some of the 

 islands about the extreme southern end of Florida. It is found in the West India 

 Islands, on the northeast coast of South America, and in Central America ; and being 

 a great wanderer, is of accidental occurrence in various parts of the ocean. 



Mr. Salvin mentions that one of this species came on board the steamer in which 

 he was a passenger, when off the coast of San Salvador ; and Mr. G. C. Taylor speaks 

 of this bird as not uncommon along the coast of Honduras. He saw an individual 

 of this species in Fonseca Bay ; and one flew on board the steamer, on the passage 

 from Panama to La Union, which had kept company with the vessel for some time, 

 and finally, after repeated attempts to alight, had perched in the rigging, where it 

 was caught by a boy. 



Professor Alfred Newton states that this species was occasionally met with in the 

 Island of St. Croix ; but he is quite sure that it does not breed in that vicinity, as it 

 evinced altogether too great a partiality for the deep-sea fishery to be seen often on 

 land. One was brought alive to Mr. Edward Newton in September, 1858, which had 

 been taken asleep by a negro. It was of an exceedingly fierce disposition, refused 

 all food, and at last died ; at no time, however, exhibiting anything like fear. When 

 between St. Croix and St. Thomas, one of this species flew within a few yards of the 

 schooner on which Mr. Newton was ; and he was informed of another that flew so 



