THE GANNET. 95 



collection of seaweed or grass ; only one egg is laid, which 

 is about three inches in length and nearly two inches in 

 breadth. The colour is a chalky- white, very slightly tinged 

 with pale blue. It does not long retain its original colour, 

 but soon becomes soiled and dirty. The young birds 

 shortly after being hatched are covered with a white 

 down; this grows very quickly, and gives the birds 

 somewhat the appearance of large powder-puffs or lumps 

 of cotton. 



Gannets are very quiet and easily approached during the 

 time of incubation ; and in many places, where they are not 

 annoyed or interfered with, will allow themselves to be ap- 

 proached and even handled without quitting the nest. 

 Sometimes^ however, they betray some irritation at being 

 disturbed, and assume a threatening attitude by widely 

 opening their beaks. 



The length of this bird is about thirty-four inches ; the 

 bill is of a horny greyish- white, serrated at the edges, very 

 large at the base, and compressed towards the point ; the 

 angle of the gape extends beyond the line of the eye ; face 

 and throat naked, the skin of the face being blue ; irides pale 

 straw colour ; the head and neck buff colour ; all the rest of 

 the plumage white, except the wing primaries, which are 

 black ; the line of the bones of the legs and toes in 

 front green, the remainder, with the membranes, nearly 

 black. The tail is rather short and pointed, the centre 

 feathers being the longest. 



In the young Gannet the beak is almost black ; the 

 skin of the face bluish-black ; the general plumage is black, 

 varied with lines and triangular marks of white. This gives 

 the bird a strong resemblance to the young of the Red- 

 throated Diver. 



