TPIE GANNET (boOBY) 159 



The Darter. 



Plotus novcB-hollandi(B. 



Australia, New Zealand, and South-east New Guinea. 



Above glossy black; a white stripe below the eye and extending four 

 inches down the neck; a white band bordering the bare throat; patch of 

 chestnut on front of neck; underparts white; these birds have a very 

 long snake-like neck. Total length 31 inches, culmen 2.8, wing 13.2, tail 

 8.4, tarsus 1.9. 



Nest, a structure of twigs, placed in trees near or over water. 

 The four eggs are very similar to those of the Cormorant, but 

 more elongated, being chalky-white on the surface with a 

 greenish shell beneath. They measure about 2.28 x 1.46 inch. 



These birds usually nest in companies, and are found on the 

 rivers and swamps ; especially plentiful in Northern Australia, 

 but not nearly as numerous as the Cormorants. 



Family Sulida. 

 Tail wedge-shaped. Bill sub-cylindrical, pointed. No 

 external nostrils. 



Genus Sula. 

 Bill stout, straight, pointed. Wings long. Nostrils closed 

 externally. Throat pouch. 



The Gannet (Booby). 



Sula serrator. 



Coasts of Australia and New Zealand. 



General colour pure white; back and sides of the head and neck 

 tinted with buff; primaries black; bare band about two inches long down 

 the centre of the throat; two middle pairs of tail-feathers brownish black. 

 Total length 36 inches, culmen 3.4, wing 18, tail 8.1, tarsus 2.2. 



These birds nest in large companies, making their nest of 

 seaweed, and feed their young on partially digested fish. They 

 do not leave their nest on man's approach. The single egg 

 is ehalky-white, and on being scraped off shows a bluish-white 

 shell beneath. They measure about 3.08 x 1.89 inch. 



We take the following vivid description of the diving skill 

 of the Gannet from a notice in the "Emu," by Mr. H. Stuart 

 Dove, of West Devonport, Tasmania : — ' ' I never remember 



