PELICANID^l. 567 



very rapidly towards the secondaries, which, as well 

 as the tertials, are short, the whole wing being there- 

 fore in shape much like that of the Swift ; the front 

 of the legs and the toes are green ; the back of the 

 legs and the webs are black ; the webs extend to the 

 hind toe, as in the Cormorant, but the legs are not 

 placed so far behind as in that bird, consequently the 

 Gannet does not assume such an upright position 

 when on land. The young bird of the year has the 

 whole of the head and neck dark dusky, thickly 

 speckled with white ; the back, scapulars, rump, 

 wing and tail-coverts are the same, but the white 

 spots, being merely a spot of that colour on the tip 

 of each feather, are much less frequent where the 

 feathers are largest ; the primary quills and tail are 

 dusky ; the under parts appear lighter, the greater 

 part of each feather being white and only the margins 

 dusky. The correspondent of the 'Zoologist' whom 

 I have before quoted says the young when first 

 hatched have a curious look little black imps, with 

 a big head, fat body and tiny webbed feet, sprawling 

 about the nest. They soon, however, become white, 

 the down growing very rapidly and very thick, giving 

 them, according to Yarrell, the appearance of large 

 powder-puffs or masses of cotton. 



The egg is much like that of the Cormorant, but 

 rather larger. 



3 c 2 



