980 



THE NATURE BOOK 



are almost entirely black, but the former 

 is purplish black, and in the breeding 

 season has a white chin, delicate white 

 hairy feathers on the neck, and a large 

 white thigh patch ; whilst the Shag has 

 rich dark green reflections, and a crest 

 which curls forward at the back of the 

 head, and no white about the body. 

 A less obtrusive difference, but one con- 



RAZORBILLS. 



stant at all seasons, is that of the Cor- 

 morant ha\'ing fourteen tail feathers, 

 and the more local Shag only twelve. 

 Both birds build in colonies. 



The adult Gannet. or Solan Goose, is a 

 purely maritime l)ird ; large, as its second- 

 ary title suggests, its wings extend to six 

 feet, though its length is only thirty- 

 four inches. In full plumage the general 

 body colour is white, with black feet and 

 wing feathers. The head and neck are 

 tinged with buff, and the bare skin at 

 the base of the beak is dull blue. The 

 first plumage, or rather the plumage of 

 the first year, is almost black, with white 

 spots — after the white nesthng down is 

 lost — the under-jiarts pale brown. It is 

 not until tlie sixth season that the adult 

 ]>lumage is assumed. Never quitting tlu- 

 sea, excei)t when storm driv-en, this bird 

 is not hkely to come under the observa- 

 tion of land-dwelling naturalists, but those 

 whose business or ])leasure takes them 



near its breeding haunts or fishing grounds 

 will experience much pleasure in watching 

 the tremendous plunges — generally suc- 

 cessful — which this grand bird makes 

 ujwn surface-swimming fish. 



Of the Terns, or Sea Swallows, two 

 species are fairl}' common summer mi- 

 grants, the Common and the Lesser Tern ; 

 tlie Arctic also breeds sparingly in a 



few localities. 

 All have been 

 benefited by the 

 Protection Acts. 

 They are Gulls 

 in miniature, 

 with elongated 

 wings and beaks 

 and forked tails, 

 the most grace- 

 ful in form and 

 flight of all sea 

 birds, with 

 black crowns, 

 pearl-gi'ey upper 

 ]:iarts. and white 

 below. Common 

 and Arctic are 

 inseparable as 

 to size, the 

 beak being the 

 most distinctive 

 feature. In the 

 Common it is 

 deep orange-red with a black ti]), \\'hilst 

 that of the Arctic is blood-red through- 

 out. In adults the tail feathers are longer 

 and the tarsi shorter than in the Common 

 s]iecies. The Lesser Tern has a yellow 

 beak and orange-coloured legs. AU three 

 build in colonies, making but little nest 

 on the sand or shingle and laying two or 

 three eggs each. 



Of the six commoner species of Gulls, 

 the Great Black-backed is the most solitary 

 and also the largest, measuring about 

 thirty inches and having a wing spread 

 of 5 ft. 9 in. The feet and legs of this 

 bird are ])ale flesh colour, which fact 

 alone will serve to se])arate it from the 

 more frequent Lesser Black-backed, which 

 has them yellow. It measures about 

 twi-nty-two inches. Their black mantles 

 mark them off from the other four species. 

 The Herring Gull is only a trifle larger 

 than the foregoing, but its lavender back 

 distinguishes it from the adult Great Black- 



riiolot- iuph by P. l^ebsUr^ i\ ewcasUe-on'Tym, 



