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 ruif.* 
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 alha, 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. Rail, Syn. p. 122. A. 2. — Wilt. 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. — Alhin, 1. t. 86. — Flem. Br. 
Anim. p. 118.— Gannet, Br. Zool. 2. No. 293. t. 103.— 16. 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. — Pult. 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. 
