GAKNET. 19 



twelve feathers, the two middle ones being much longer than 

 the others: they are strong and pointed; upper tail coverts, 

 white; under tail coverts, white. Legs in front, bluish green, 

 or bluish yellow, behind nearly black; they are feathered 

 down to the joint; toes, green, the first joints almost black: 

 they are covered with small scales; claws, greyish white, the 

 inner edge of the middle one dilated and serrated; webs, 

 blackish grey. 



The female is like the male. 



The young bird is on first being hatched of a bluish 

 black colour; in about a week it becomes covered with white 

 down. In its first plumage it is totally different from the 

 old bird, and at the same time of an exceedingly elegant 

 appearance. Bill, nearly black; iris, dusky slate-colour, the 

 eyelids blue black. Head, crown, neck, and nape, darker or 

 lighter slate-colour, according to the age of the bird, and 

 each feather is more or 1n ss tipped with a triangular-shaped 

 white spot; chin, threat and breast above, light grey, 

 mottled with white, the tip of each feather being of the 

 latter colour in a triangular-shaped mark; below, white. 

 Back, dark or light slate-colour, according to age, the tip 

 of each feather white. In the second year the white in- 

 creases on the plumage. Plumage, dusky greyish black; 

 tail, dusky greyish black; legs, lead-colour in front, behind, 

 blackish; toes, blackish grey; webs, blackish grey. 



In the third year the white increases, the tertiaries and 

 long scapulars remaining dark, or spotted with dark. The 

 full white plumage is acquired in the fourth year. 



