THE GANNET 



299 



Genus Sula. 

 Bill stout, pointed; the nostrils completely closed in adults. 

 Wing's very large and pointed, the first ciuill longest. Tail wedge- 

 shaped. Claw of the middle toe serrated. Temperate and tropical 



seas. 



The Gannet. — Takupu. 



Sula serrator. 



White, with the top and sides of the head buff. Quills and four middle 

 tail feathers black. Bill horn-colour, tinged with blue. Legs and toes 

 greenish yellow, the webs brown. Eye pale silvery brown. Length of 

 the wing, 18 in.j of the tarsus, 2.2 in. The young have the upper surface 

 brown spotted with white. Egg — White, length 3 in. Australia and 

 New Zealand. 



Gannet. 



(Meyer.) 



The gannet is coimuon in the northern parts of New Zealand, 

 but is rarely seen south of Cook Strait. It breeds on the Great 

 Barrier Island ; White Island, in the Bay of Plenty ; and Gannet 

 Island, off Kawhia. The nests are placed very close together, and 

 are roughly composed of grass and seaweed. It is a very 

 awkward bird on land, but an excellent flier, soaring over the sea, 

 and darting down, with closed wings, on any fish that may be 



