2]8 
ai.i.en’s naturalist’s lihrary. 
Nest. -A bulky and rough structure of sticks or seaweed, 
with sometimes a little straw, &c. 
Eggs. — Three or four in number, but often only two are laid. 
1 hey resemble those of the Cormorant and have the same 
chalky covering to the shell, but are somewhat smaller. Axis, 
2-3-2-6 inches; diam., i -35-1 -5 inches. 
THE GANNETS. SUB-ORDER SUL/E. 
The Gannets are very closely allied to the Cormorants, and 
like them have all the four toes joined together by a web, 
which gives them great swimming and diving powers. In 
osteological and anatomical characters they are also very 
similar to the Cormorants, but the bill is nearly straight and 
only slightly deflected at the tip, not being hooked as in 
Phalacrocomx. They have a small gular sac, which is for the 
most part bare. As in the Cormorants, the feet are placed far 
back and the tarsus alone is bare. The changes of plumage 
undergone by the Gannets is, how'ever, quite different to that 
of the Cormorants. Gannets are found all over the world, but 
do not go very far to the north or south. 
THE TRUE GANNETS. GENUS DYSEORUS. 
Dysporus, Illiger, Prodr. p. 279 (1811). 
Type, D. bassanus (L.). 
I. THE GANNET. DYSPORUS BASSANUS. 
Pelecanus bassanus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 217 (1766). 
Sula bassana, Macg. Br. B. v. p. 405 (1852); Dresser, B. Eur. 
vi. p. 181, pi. 392 (1880); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 106 
(1883); Saunders, ed. Yarn Br. B. iv. p. 155 (1884); 
Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 643 (1885); Saunders, Man. Br.’ 
B. p. 353 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xii. 
(1890). 
(Plate Lin.) 
Adult Hale. — General colour above and below pure white, 
with a tinge of ochreous-buff on the head and neck ; bastard- 
witig, primary-coverts, and primary-quills black; tail-feathers 
white, with yellowish shafts ; bill pale bluish-grey, tinged with 
