Q2 THE BOOBY GANNET. 



sharp, inflected, serrated, tip acute. No external nostrils. Lower mandible 

 prolonged at the base behind the upper, its angle very long, wide at the base,, 

 with a bare membrane, very narrow towards the end, dorsal line straight, 

 ascending, sides convex, tip very acute, edges serrated towards the end. 



Head rather large; neck rather long and thick; body of moderate bulk, 

 rather elongated; wings long. Feet short, strong, placed rather far behind; 

 tibiae concealed; tarsus very short, rounded before, sharp behind, covered all 

 round with reticular scales; toes all united by membranes; first very short, 

 being about half the length of the second, third and fourth longest and nearly 

 equal, but the claw of the third is much longer than that of the fourth; claws 

 small, compressed, acute, curved, that of the third toe largest, depressed, 

 curved outwards, with a thin pectinated inner edge. 



Plumage generally short, close, rather compact, the feathers small and 

 rounded; those on the head very small; loral and orbital spaces bare, as is 

 that in the angle of the lower mandible, and a short space above the tibio- 

 tarsal joint; wings long, acute, narrow; primaries strong, narrow, tapering 

 rapidly to a rounded point, first and second longest and about equal, the rest 

 rapidly graduated; secondaries short, rather broad, narrowed towards the 

 rounded point. Tail rather long, cuneate, of twelve narrow, tapering 

 feathers. 



Bill and naked parts at its base bright yellow, pale flesh-coloured towards 

 the end; a dusky spot before the eye. Iris white. Tarsi, toes, and their 

 connecting webs, pale yellow, claws white. Head, neck all round, upper 

 parts in general, and lower surface of wings, dusky-brown, tinged with grey; 

 the breast, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, pure white. 



Length 31 inches, to end of claws 27, extent of wings 29^; bill along the 

 back 3i|, along the edge 5; tarsus l-^, middle toe and claw 3^. Wing from 

 flexure 16 J, tail 8^. Weight 3 lbs. 4| oz. 



The Female resembles the male, but is smaller. 



The Young, when fledged, are of a greyish-brown colour all over, the 

 breast and abdomen being merely a little lighter than the rest. The bill 

 and claws are dusky, the tarsi and toes with their membranes dull yellow. 



