190 GANNET. 



shank ; the head, back, and breast, cinereous brown, spotted with dull 

 yellow ; the coverts of the wings and scapulars cinereous, edged with 

 yellow ; the primores dusky, bordered with yellow ; legs yellow. 



* Montagu supposed that it might be found to turn out a variety of 

 the ruff.* 



Dr. Latham adds, that the bill is of a reddish colour, with a black 

 tip ; the irides yellowish green. 



This bird seems to have been rarely met with in England. Said to 

 be known in France, but is esteemed there a rare bird. Is spoken of as 

 inhabiting Scandinavia and Iceland. 



*Temminck says it is nowhere so abundant as in Holland, and is 

 migratory, at least from the inland marshes to the coast.* 



GAME. — The birds so termed in our laws, are now Grouse, Heath- 

 fowl, Landrails, Quails, Partridges, Pheasants, Snipes, and Woodcocks. 

 Other birds were formerly deemed game. 



GANNET (Sula alba, Meyer.) 



Pelicanus bassanus, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 217. 5. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 577. — Ind. Orn. 

 2. p. 891. 26.— Pelicanus maculatus, Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 579. sp. 32.— Anser 



bassanus, Raii, Syn. p. 122. A. 2. — Will. p. 247. t. 63 Sula Hoieri, Raii, 



Syn. p. 123. 5 — Will. p. 249 — Sulabassana, and Sula major, Briss. 6. p. 503. 



5. t. 44 — Ib. 8vo. 2. t. 492.— Ib. 2. p. 497 Fou de Bassan, Buff. Ois. 8. p. 



376 — Soland Goose, Will. (Angl.) p. 328. t. 63 Albin, 1. t. 86 Flern. Br. 



Anim. p. 118.— Gannet, Br. Zool. 2. No. 293. t. 103 Ib. fol. 160. t. L 



Arct. Zool. 2. No. 510. — Lath. Syn. 6. p. 608. 25.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 7. t. 

 265. — Wale. Syn. 1. 1. 94.— Putt. Cat. Dorset, p. 22.— Great and Spotted Boby, 

 Lath. Syn. 6. p. 610. 14. 



This species weighs about seven pounds ; length full three feet ; 

 breadth above six. The bill is about six inches long, nearly strait, ex- 

 cept towards the point, where it declines a little ; the edges of the man- 

 dibles are sharp, and a little jagged irregularly; the colour dirty 

 yellowish white ; near the base of the upper mandible is a sharp process 

 and suture, which enables the bird to move it a little in the act of 

 swallowing large fish • along the sides are two longitudinal grooves 

 running the whole length, but no nostrils ; the irides are pale yellow ; 

 round the eyes the skin is bare, and of a blue colour ; the chin is desti- 

 tute of feathers, and of a dusky colour, capable of great distention, 

 forming a kind of pouch ; the whole plumage is white, except the 

 crown of the head, which is buff colour ; the tail feathers are twelve, 

 strong and pointed. When alive, the bill is of an elegant bluish grey 

 colour ; the legs singularly marked, of a dusky colour, with the front 

 bluish yellow, which divides at the feet, and forms a line of the same 

 colour ; along the ridge of the two forward toes the uniting membrane 

 is unusually strong, and nearly as transparent as glass. 



