286 THE BIRDS 



black in colour, with some white touches on the tail and wings. 

 By sailors this bird is commonly called " Mother Carey's Chicken," 

 and is looked upon as a bird of ill-omen, as it is supposed to bring 

 bad weather. As a matter of fact, when a storm is approaching 

 flocks of Storm-Petrels are often seen skimming over the water, 

 feeding on the molluscs and other small marine creatures which 

 at this time rise in quantities to the surface. From its habit of 

 lightly skimming over the waves as if it were walking on the top 

 of the water, the bird has gained its name " Petrel," which means 

 " Little Peter." 



The Gannets, Cormorants, Darters, Tropic Birds, Frigate-birds, 

 and Pelicans are grouped together in the sub order Steganopodes 

 birds characterised by having all four toes connected by a web. 

 They are all aquatic, and for the most part marine birds. 



The Gannet (Sula bassana), or Solan Goose, is a large, heavily 

 built bird measuring some three feet in length. On land it is rather 

 clumsy in its movements, but its flight is easy and powerful. It 

 feeds on fish and other forms of marine life frequenting the surface 

 of the sea, and dives into the water after its prey from a consider- 

 able height. As it hurls itself down from aloft the Gannet keeps 

 its wings spread until the last moment, only completely closing 

 them as it plunges beneath the water. It is a well-known bird in 

 Great Britain, nesting at several stations off the west ooast, the 

 largest numbers being found on the Scottish and Irish coasts. It 

 also frequents the shores of North America and Greenland, and 

 in winter resorts to Northern Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. Other 

 species are found in various parts of the globe. 



The Common Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carlo) is a well-known 

 bird on most parts of the British coast, and is occasionally seen 

 inland, on tidal rivers. The smaller Shag, or Green Cormorant 

 (P. graculus), occurs more frequently on the western coast and 

 in Ireland. The family contains several species, the plumage of 

 the upper parts in all cases being black tinged with green, blue, 

 violet, bronze or metallic hues. In the mating season many male 

 Cormorants are adorned with a crest of white feathers, and the 

 Common Cormorant is further distinguished by having white 

 patches on its thighs. The neck of the Cormorant is long and the 

 skin of the throat can be dilated to form a pouch for food. Fish 

 forms the chief food of the majority of species, but the diet is 



