52 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



as others of its family. Its nesting is essentially the same as that of 

 the Blue-fae4pannet. Two eggs are laid, white in color, elongate- 

 ovate in shape, wi& a calcareous deposit on the surface ; size, 2.57x1.80. 



>ula bassana (LINN.) [650.] 



Gannet. 



Hab. North Atlantic; south in wi^H^ ^ Ulf f MeXi ^ ^"^ ^"^ ^ N Va ^^ 

 and British islands northward. N. 



The White Gannet, or Solan upose, is widely distributed through- 

 out the Northern Atlantic Ocean, arii is more or less a resident wher- 

 ever found. v 



Some of the most noted breeding plac.^ of this bird are on the 

 islands about the coasts of Scotland, notably the great Bass Rock at 

 the mouth of the Firth of Forth. Here it breei s in tens of thousands, 

 with the Gulls, Cormorants and Puffins that inhaB^ the rock. Another 

 of its breeding stations is St. Kilda. The predP ito us cliffs at this 

 place rise to the height of 1,400 feet. Here the Gannet breeds in 

 countless numbers. This bird also nests in the Fan? e Islands and in 

 islands on the coast of Iceland. Small colonies are to^ e found breed- 

 ing in Labrador. One of its well known breeding plac es on the coast 

 of North America is " Bird Rocks," in the Gulf of St. I^ wrence - The 

 nests are built on the summits and ledges of the rock 8 - They are 

 made of sea-weed, mud and small stones, raised to about t en inches in 

 height and eighteen in diameter. In some cases the nes; * s m ade of 

 straw and other available material. A single egg is laid. *t resembles 

 very much the average Brown Pelican egg, with, however, these differ- 

 ences: Its general shape is more elongated, and the ca carecms De- 

 posit on it is thicker; the color is chalky -white ; sizes ran g e fr m 

 3.25 to 3.50 long by 1.65 to 2.05 broad. 



118. Anhinga anhinga (LINN.) [649.] 



Anhiuga. 



Hab. Tropical and subtropical America, north to the Carolinas and Southern Illinois. 



Known as the Water Turkey, Darter and Snake Bird. J^ oftp 

 swims with the body submerged, its head and long neck in si n t 

 some kind of water serpent hence the latter name. This siP c o f 

 looking bird is very common in summer in the South Atlan, g t 

 Gulf States to North Carolina, frequenting the almost i 

 swamps. It is a constant resident of Florida. The bird di 

 amazing ease, and when alarmed will drop from its perch with 

 a ripple on the surface of the water, and will swim beneath t| 

 to a safe distance before reappearing. It has also the curiouj eng .^j 1 

 quietly sinking like a grebe. 



The nests of the Anhinga are variously placed sometir 



