68 BOOBY GANNET. 



by a seam on each side, from the sides, which are nearly perpendicular, 

 edges sharp, inflected, serrated, tip acute. No external nostrils. Lower 

 mandible prolonged at the base behind the upper, its angle very long, 

 wide at the base, with a bare membrane, very narrow towards the end, 

 dorsal line straight, ascending, sides convex, tip very acute, edges serrat- 

 ed towards the end. 



Head rather large ; neck rather long and thick ; body of moderate 

 bulk, rather elongated ; wings long. Feet short, strong, placed rather 

 far behind ; tibiae concealed ; tarsus very short, rounded before, sharp 

 behind, covered all round with reticular scales ; toes all united by mem- 

 branes ; first very short, being about half the length of the second, third 

 and fourth longest and nearly equal, but the claw of the third is much 

 longer than that of the fourth ; claws small, compressed, acute, curved, 

 that of the third toe largest, depressed, curved outwards, with a thin pec- 

 tinated inner edge. 



Plumage generally short, close, rather compact, the feathers small and 

 rounded ; those on the head very small ; loral and orbital spaces bare, as 

 is that in the angle of the lower mandible, and a short space above the 

 tibio-tarsal joint ; wings long, acute, narrow ; primaries strong, narrow, 

 tapering rapidly to a rounded point, first and second longest and about 

 equal, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, rather broad, nar- 

 rowed towards the rounded point. Tail rather long, cuneate, of twelve 

 narrow, tapering feathers. 



Bill and naked parts at its base bright yellow, pale flesh-coloured to- 

 wards the end ; a dusky spot before the eye. Iris white. Tarsi, toes, 

 and their connecting webs, pale yellow, claws white. Head, neck all 

 round, upper parts in general, and lower surface of wings, dusky brown, 

 tinged with grey ; the breast, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, pure 

 white. 



Length 31 inches, to end of claws 27, extent of wings 29j ; bill along 

 the back 3^|, along the edge 5; tarsus 1/g, middle toe and claw 85. 

 Wing from flexure I65, tail 8J. Weight 3 lb. 4^ oz. 



The Female resembles the male, but is smaller. 



The Young, when fledged, are of a greyish-brown colour all over, the 

 breast and abdomen being merely a little lighter than the rest. The bill 

 and claws are dusky, the tarsi and toes with their membranes dull yellow. 



