THE BOOBY GANNET. 59 



is harsh and guttural, somewhat like that of a strangled pig, and resembling 

 the syllables hork, hork. 



The nest of the Booby is placed on the top of a bush at a height of from 

 four to ten feet. It is large and flat, formed of a few dry sticks, covered and 

 matted with sea-weeds in great quantity. I have no doubt that they return 

 to the same nest many years in succession, and repair it as occasion requires. 

 In all the nests which I examined, only one egg was found, and as most of 

 the birds were sitting, and some of the eggs had the chick nearly ready for 

 exclusion, it is probable that these birds raise only a single young one, like 

 the Common Gannet or Solan Goose. The egg is of a dull white colour, 

 without spots, and about the size of that of a common hen, but more elon- 

 gated, being 2|- inches in length, with a diameter of 1|-. In some nests they 

 were covered with filth from the parent bird, in the manner of the Florida 

 Cormorant. The young, which had an uncouth appearance, were covered 

 with down; the bill and feet of a deep livid blue or indigo colour. On being 

 touched, they emitted no cry, but turned away their heads at every trial. A 

 great quantity offish lay beneath the trees in a state of putrefaction, proving 

 how abundantly the young birds were supplied by their jDarents. Indeed, 

 while we were on Noddy Island, there was a constant succession of birds 

 coming in from the sea with food for their young, consisting chiefly of flying- 

 fish and small mullets, which they disgorged in a half macerated state into 

 the open throats of their offspring. Unfortunately the time afforded me on 

 that coast was not sufficient to enable me to trace the progress of their 

 growth. I observed, however, that none of the birds which were still brown 

 had nests, and that they roosted apart, particularly on Booby Island, where 

 also many barren ones usually resorted, to lie on the sand and bask in the 

 sun. 



The flight of the Booby is graceful and extremely protracted. They pass 

 swiftly at a height of from twenty yards to a foot or two from the surface, 

 often following the troughs of the waves to a considerable distance, their 

 wings extended at right angles to the body; then, without any apparent 

 effort, raising themselves and allowing the rolling waters to break beneath 

 them, when they tack about, and sweep along in a contrary direction in 

 search of food, much in the manner of the true Petrels. Now, if you follow 

 an individual, you see that it suddenly stops short, plunges headlong into the 

 water, pierces with its powerful beak and secures a fish, emerges again with 

 inconceivable ease, after a short interval rises on wing, performs a few wide 

 circlings, and makes off toward some shore. At this time its flight is dif- 

 ferent, being performed by flappings for twenty or thirty paces, with alter- 

 nate sailings of more than double that space. When overloaded with food, 



