90 BRITISH BIRDS 



Nest. Usually on ledges in sea-caves, sometimes on a cliff 

 ledge or in recesses among boulders by the sea ; generally, 

 therefore, unlike the cormorant's, under cover. 

 Material : sea-weed and coarse herbage. The 

 species breeds in colonies. 



Eggs. Usually 3-5. Like cormorant's, but 

 smaller. Av. size, 2'51 x 1*51 in. Laying begins 

 March- April. Two broods. 



(2) Family: Sulidce Gannets 

 179. Gannet or Solan-goose [Sula bassana 

 (Linnaeus)]. Resident. Strictly marine species. 

 Breeds in large colonies on rocky islands at 

 various points round our coasts. 



Bird. Length 33 in. (See No. 177.) Bill strong, 

 straight, not hooked, and of a pale lead-blue with deeper slate 

 coloured longitudinal lines. Tail graduated to a point, the 

 central feathers the longest. Wings long and rather narrow. 

 Plumage white, save the wing quills, which are dark brown, 

 not black as usually stated. In breeding dress there is a buff 

 tinge on the head and neck. The fledgling blackish-slate, 

 spotted white. Immature till the fifth year, and recognised 

 by the dark brown, chiefly on the back, wings, and tail, which 

 colour diminishes season by season till at maturity reduced 

 to the brown of the wing quills. 



Nest. Generally on the ledges of 

 the precipitous sides of sea-washed 

 isles, such as the Bass Rock, Ailsa 

 Craig (Scotland), Bull Rock and 

 Little Skellig (Ireland). Material: 

 sea-weed, grasses from the isle top, 

 and any material from the surface 

 Fig. 105. of the sea. 



Egg. One. Blue, covered or nearly so with a white chalky 

 deposit which soon becomes dirty and yellow stained. Av. size, 

 3'06x 1*96 in. Laying begins March-May. One brood. 



XL ORDER: PROCELLARIIFORMES. SUBORDER: 

 TUBINARES 



Family : Procellariidce Petrels 



180. Manx-shearwater [Puffinus puffinus puffinus (Brttn- 

 nich) ; Puffinus anglorum (Temminck)]. Seen on all our coasts, 

 but breeds only on the west, the Irish coasts, Orkneys, and 

 Shetlands. 



Bird. Length 15 in. Beak long, slender, with hooked tip, and 

 dusky brown external tubular nostrils (see No. 182, Fig. 106). 



