180 



TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS — STEGANOPODES. 



close to the deck of one of the Koyal Mail Company's steamers that it was caught on 

 the wing by one of the i)assengei's. 



Mr. E. C. Taylor states that he occasionally met with this species among the 

 Windward Islands ; but he afterward found it much more abundant on the coast of 

 Venezuela. 



A Booby Gannet was taken in Bermuda, which had flown into one of the soldiers' 

 barrack-rooms at Fort Catharine, Oct. 3, 1847. This si)ecies is given by Mr. G. E. 

 Gray as being entitled to a place in the fauna of New Zealand. Ca])taiu Beavan 

 (" Ibis," 18G8) also mentions meeting with it on the 3d of July in the Bay of Bengal. 

 The birds were quite numerous, and were flying low and very fast, ski inning along 

 the surface of the water, and paying no attention to the vessel. 



Audubon met with this species near the Tortugas, and he found one of its places 

 of resort on a small sandy island eight miles from the lighthouse, obtaining there a 

 number of specimens. The wounded birds that fell on the land made immediately 

 for the water, moving with considerable ease. Those which fell on the water swam 

 off with great buoyancy and such rai)idity that it was diflicult to overtake them, and 

 those which had only a wing broken escaped altogether. On another island, covered 

 with bushes and low trees, he found a number of Boobies breeding in company with 

 the Anous stolidus. He found them perched on the top branches of the trees in which 

 thej'- had nests. As they flew about overhead they made no noise, except at the 

 moment they rose from their perches ; their cry at that time was a single harsh and 

 guttural sound, resembling the syllables horh-hork. He found the nest placed on the 

 tops of the bushes at a height of from four to ten feet, large and flat, formed of a few 

 dry sticks, covered and matted with seaweeds in great quantities. The bird evidently 

 returns to the same nest for years in succession, repairing it as occasion requires, 

 In all the nests which he examined, only one egg was found ; and as most of the 

 birds were sitting, and some of the eggs had the chick nearly ready for exclusion, it 

 is probable that this bird rail s but a single young one at a time. 



Audubon describes the egj^ as being of a dull white color, without spots, about the 

 size of the egg of a Common Hen, but more elongated, being 2.38 inches in lengtli, 

 and 1.75 in breadth. In some nests the eggs were more or less incrusted with the 

 filth of the parent. The young were covered with down, and had an uncouth appear- 

 ance. Their bills and feet were of a deep livid blue. They were evidently abundantly 

 supplied with food, as a great quantity lay under the trees in a state of putrefaction, 

 and a constant succession of birds were coming from the sea with food for their 

 young. Tliis consisted chiefly of flying-fish and small mullets, which they disgorged 

 in a half macerated state into the open throats of their young. No birds having an 

 immature plumage were found breeding. 



Audubon describes the flight of this species as being graceful and sustaitied for a 

 great length of time. Tlie Gannet i)asses swiftly at a heiglit varying from two feet 

 to twenty yards above tlie surface, its wings being distended at right angles to the 

 body. When overloaded with food it alights on the water, where it will remain for 

 hours at a time. Its range extends along our coast not farther than Cape Hatteras. 

 This bird has a sufficient power of WiUg to enable it to brave the tempest ; and in 

 fair weather it ventures far out to sea, and is often seen one or two hundred miles 

 from the land. 



In the bodies of those Gannets which Audubon examined, ho found mullets 

 weighing more than half a pound each. The old birds drive away from their neigli- 

 borhood those in immature plumage during the periods of incubation. This species 

 apparently requires several years to arrive at maturity. Like the Common Gannet. 



