BOOBY. 
379 
BOOBY. 
SULA SULA. 
Char. Upper parts and breast sooty brown, more or less varied with 
gray ; under parts white. Length 31 inches. 
A^est. On an ocean island, sometimes on the ground, but usually placed 
on a bush or low tree ; rudely made of twigs and sea-weed. 
Eggs. 1-2; chalky white; size very variable, average about 2.35 X 
1.55. 
The Booby is found to be an inhabitant of islands and deso- 
late sea-coasts throughout all the warm and temperate parts of 
the globe, and has acquired its degrading name from its silly 
aspect and peculiar stupidity, suffering itself to be taken, not 
only at sea on the ship’s yards, but also on land, where these 
birds may be despatched merely with clubs and sticks in great 
numbers one after the other, without seeming to take any general 
alarm, or using any efficient effort for escape. The only cause 
that can be assigned for this want of conservative instinct, so 
general and prompt among most of the feathered tribes, is 
probably the fact of the difficulty and almost impossibility of 
setting their long wings into motion when they happen to be 
surprised on level ground, or firtigued with undue exertion. 
I'he Boobies, however, have a domestic enemy more steady, 
though less bloodthirsty, in his persecutions than man ; thi? is 
the Frigate Pelican, or Man-of-War Bird, who with a keen eye 
descrying his humble vassal at a distance, pursues him without 
intermission, and obliges him by blows with the wings and bill 
to surrender his finny prey, which the pirate instantly seizes 
and swallows. 
The Boobies, however, notwithstanding this tribute to their 
marine monarch, contrive to obtain an ample supply of provi- 
sion. They commonly hover above the surface of the waves, 
at times scarcely moving their wings, and drop on a fish the 
instant it emerges or approaches in view. Their flight, though 
rapid and long-sustained, is greatly inferior to that of the 
Frigate Bird ; accordingly, they do not roam so far, and their 
