GANNET. 
69 
return annually to the same spot, which fact has been 
ascertained by marked individuals, that have returned, to 
the knowledge of the inhabitants, for more than thirty 
years. The nests, which are constructed of sea-weeds and 
grasses, are placed on the ground side by side, and contain 
each one single egg ; the parents sit about six weeks, and 
not being ill treated they are so tame that a person may 
go to the sitting birds and stroke them without their 
moving off, and may even take the bird off the nest and 
examine it without apparently creating any uneasiness to 
the individual. It is very remarkable that a great many 
eggs are annually found to be unfruitful. 
The entire length of the Gannet is two feet ten inches, 
the wing nineteen inches from the carpus to the tip. 
The entire plumage of the adult bird is white, with 
the exception of the quill feathers which are black, and 
the head and neck which are buff-coloured; the beak is 
greyish-white horn colour; the edges toothed; the naked 
skin around the eyes blue. The forehead, eyebrow, and 
frame to the root of the upper mandible, black, as well as 
the pouch under the chin ; the eyes are pale straw yellow ; 
the legs in front and the toes green ; the joints, hinder 
parts of the tarsi and webs, black. The tibia is feathered 
to the tarsal joint. 
The male and female are alike. 
The plumage of the young bird is very different, and 
might easily be mistaken for another species by persons 
unacquainted with the subject. The upper plumage is 
cinereous brownish black with spots and streaks of soiled 
white; the under parts cream-coloured white with tri¬ 
angular black spots on each feather; the quill and tail- 
feathers dusky. The eyes are dusky; the legs and toes 
as in the adult, but lead-coloured instead of green. The 
