SULA. 243 



loose feathers, springing nearly from the line of the 

 eyes, and hending forwards ; in some specimens it 

 is very ample, but in others, shot at a similar period, 

 it is very little developed ; there may be a slight 

 difference in the sexes ; but the crest is perhaps more 

 incidental to age, or a very much developed state 

 of plumage, than a decidedly seasonal or breed- 

 ing adornment ; in some specimens, shot from the 

 nest, and at the season of incubation, it consisted 

 of two or three, and sometimes only a single elon- 

 gated plume. "We have sometimes seen a few 

 spots of the white hair-like feathers, which became 

 so conspicuous on the neck of the last during the 

 breeding time, appear also there in this bird; the 

 bill and feet are black, the basal skin of the former, 

 and edges of the rictus, gamboge-yellow ; in the 

 young birds, and before breeding time, the plumage 

 is of different shades of brown, varying in intensity, 

 the throat white. 



The remaining form of the Pelecanidae belonging 

 to the British Fauna is that of the Solan Goose, 

 or Gannet, and known under the title of 



GENUS SULA, Brisson. Generic characters. Bill 

 long, compressed near the point; maxilla curved 

 at the tip, sulcated for nearly the whole length, 

 base with a hinge ; mandible straight, with a 

 slight angle; tomia irregularly broken, face 

 naked; wings long andaccuminated; legs placed 

 far behind, tarsi short; feet ample, four toes 



