248 SOLAN GOOSE. 



of a bird procured from Southern Africa, wherein 

 it will be seen that there is little variation that would 

 entitle specific distinction, except in the colour of 

 the tail ; the length is two feet ten inches ; of the 

 wing to the tip of the second quill (the longest), one 

 foot eight inches. The plumage appears completely 

 adult, and is coloured as in the birds from the Bass. 

 but the tail, consisting of twelve feathers, is entirely 

 brownish black, with white shafts. It is more uni- 

 formly graduated than in a Bass bird, in a partially 

 immature state, though breeding ; in the latter 

 the feathers have commenced to change, and are 

 grey at the base on the outer webs. The Bass birds 

 are larger in all their proportions, and stronger. * 

 Mr. Gould's figure of Sula mclanura is extremely like 

 our Cape specimen, and he gives it as a species, on 

 the authority of Temminck, who received the speci- 

 mens from Iceland. Mr James Wilson, in his Tour 

 around the Coasts of Scotland, has mentioned that 

 the inhabitants of St. Kilda are aware of a Gannet 

 with a black tail. 



The Solan Goose is easily kept in confinement, 

 though the required supply of fish renders its keep 

 expensive ; but it will tame well, and live for years, 

 where it has access to a piece of water, even though 

 its limits are not large. 



* The parasites on this specimen were submitted to Mr. 

 Denny, and were determined to be Docophorus bassani, identi- 

 cal with those from British bird*. 



