REMARKS ON THE GENUS SULA. 315 



Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Pelecani, p. 40, remarks that this 

 species is distinguished " by its small size and short points to 

 the wings. Wing, 145 — 15*2 ; point of the wing, 2*2 — 3*2 ; 

 tail, 7-7—9-5; tarsus, 1-1—1-19; mid toe, 2-2—2-29; bill, 

 3-0—3-3 ; height of bill, 1-1—1-19. 



" Perfect plumage white, with the exception of all the quills 

 and the great wing coverts, which are greyish black ; bill in the 

 live bird of a light blue black ; naked skin of the head flesh- 

 coloured ; feet red ; immature plumage brown ; bill brownish. 



" Observed in the Indian Archipelago as far as the Straits of 

 Torres ; appears to stray into the Atlantic Ocean. " 



Gould tells us (Birds of Austr. VII. pi. 79. Handb. B. of A, 

 510) :— " Mr. M c Gillivrai observed that the colouring of the bill 

 and soft parts varies with the age of the individual ; in the first 

 stage the bill is of a delicate bluish pink, the pink tint predo- 

 minating at the base of upper mandible, the bare patch about 

 the eye of a dull leaden hue, and the pouch flesh-coloured, in 

 the second the colouring of these parts is similar, but somewhat 

 brighter, and ultimately the irides become grey, and the legs and 

 feet vermilion. 



" The adults have the entire plumage buffy white, with the 

 exception of the wings and tail, the former of which are blackish 

 brown, washed with grey, and the latter pale greyish brown, passino- 

 into grey, with white shafts. Lastly, Finsch and Hartlaub (Orn. 

 Central Polynes. 256) thus define and describe the species : — 



i( Ad. white ; quills and tail feathers blackish dusky ; throat 

 naked with the face and bill pale blue, the latter reddish at the 

 base ; feet coral red ; irides brown ; eyelids greenish. 



Younger. — Back wings and tail dusky ash ; wing coverts 

 mottled with white ; bill dusky at the tip. 



Young. — Pale dusky ashy, mottled paler below; belly 

 whitish ; face and feet dingy reddish. 



" Length, 32 38; bill, 3-5; wing, 16-44; tail, 8-77; mid 

 toe, 2-74. 



" From the Indian Sea, Bremen Museum. 



" Old. — Entire plumage white, only the quills, their coverts, 

 and the bend of the wing dark brown, somewhat tinged with grey. 

 The quills white at their bases on the inner webs. The white 

 being more extended on the secondaries, the latest of which are 

 entirely white. The shafts of the quills clear brown, the under- 

 side white. The white feathers of the hind neck and back, 

 tinged towards their tips, with pale rusty yellow, which is still 

 more conspicuous on the»head. 



" Bill dark blackish red, with pale horny greenish margins, 

 tip and culmen ; the naked head space dirty reddish brown ; 

 the throat browner ; feet dirt}' deep red ; nails whitish. 



