SULID^ SULA 19 



of the breast and lower surface are banded with white and brown, 

 the colours being about equally distributed ; gradually the bird 

 assumes the white plumage of the adult, the back being the last 

 part to change. In the young bird the bill is brownish-black, 

 and the legs black. The pure white plumage of the adult is not 

 attained until the second year. 



Distribution. — The Malagash is found along the coasts of South 

 Africa, extending as far north as Loango in French Congoland on 

 the western, and as Zanzibar on the eastern side. 



It is specially abundant on the western coasts of Cape Colony, 

 and of Damaraland. It breeds on the following islands off the coast 

 in very large numbers. Hollams Bird Island, Ichaboe, Possession 

 and Halifax, off the Great Namaqualand coast ; Malagash Island at 

 the entrance to Saldanha Bay, and Bird Island in Algoa Bay in Cape 

 Colony, while eastwards of this it has been observed at sea off East 

 London (Eickard), off Port St. John's (Shortridge), and off Durban 

 (Reid). It is never met with at sea very far from the coast, nor 

 does it range inland except accidentally. 



Habits. — The Malagash is often seen about Table Bay in con- 

 siderable numbers when there are shoals of fish about. It is a 

 powerful bird, and pounces down from a considerable height on to 

 its prey almost perpendicularly; just before reaching the water it 

 closes its wings, and dives down under water, where it can remain 

 for some time ; when returning to the surface it seems to come 

 up as if impelled by a spring from below. It is also a good 

 swimmer. 



At the end of September, or the beginning of October, the birds 

 in adult plumage resort in countless numbers to the breeding islands 

 already mentioned ; the islands are flat, and are covered almost 

 everywhere with birds, which sit so close as to be nearly touching 

 one another. The nest consists of a little mound of mud and 

 guano, with a slight depression at the top, while everywhere 

 between the nest the ground is quite bare, and white with the 

 deposit of excrement. Only one egg is laid, and on this the bird 

 sits very closely, covering it with its large webbed feet ; the eggs are 

 extremely dirty, even soon after they have been freshly laid. Their 

 colour is almost pure white, of a chalky texture overlying a pale 

 blue as in other members of the family. The eggs are almost 

 regular ovals and measure on an average, 3'12 x 2. 



The young when hatched are covered with white down. As 

 soon as they are able to fly they leave the breeding islands and do 



