16 



SULID^ 



SULA 



Family II. SULID^. 



The members of this family, the Gannets and Boobies, are white 

 and black, or brown birds living chiefly on the open sea and 

 nesting generally on small islands. The characters are given below 

 under the description of the only genus. 



Anatomical characters are — cervical vertibree, 18; dorsal vertebras 

 without ventral processes ; clavicle not anchylosed to the sternum ; 

 ambiens, femorocaudal and semitendenosus muscles only present ; 

 no syringeal muscles. 



Genus I. SULA. 

 Sula, Brisson, Orn. vi, p. 494 (1760) 



Type. 

 S. leuoogastra. 



Bill stout and subcyliudrical, the culmen defined on either side 

 by a distinct line ; both mandibles serrated, especially along their 

 apical halves, the upper mandible bent down at the tip but not 

 hooked, and with a distinct notch. Nostrils completely closed in the 



Pig. 5. — Head of Sula capensis. x | 



adults, minute, rudimentary, and basal in the young ; a naked patch 

 of skin round the eye and about the chin and throat. Wings long 

 and pointed, first and second primaries the longest. Tail of from 

 twelve to eighteen feathers, wedge-shaped and strongly graduated. 

 Tarsus very short, considerably exceeded in leagth by the first and 

 second toes, which are sub-equal ; claw of the middle toe broad and 

 pectinated on the inner side. 



