COMMON GANNET. 
213 
between the bill and the eye, surrounding the latter, and extending an inch 
behind the angle of the mouth. The gular membrane also bare for a small 
breadth, extending two inches beyond the base of the mandible. About a 
quarter of an inch of the tibia bare. Wings very long, narrow, acute ; pri- 
maries strong, narrow, tapering rapidly at a rounded point ; first longest, 
second about a quarter of an inch shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; 
secondaries short, rather broad, rounded, with a minute acumen. Tail 
rather long, cuneate, of twelve narrow tapering feathers. 
Bill pale bluish-grey, tinged with green towards the base ; the lines on 
the upper mandible blackish-blue ; the bare space about the eye, and that 
on the throat, blackish-blue. Iris white. Tarsi, toes, and webs, brownish- 
black, the bands of narrow scutella on the tarsus and toes light greenish- 
blue ; claws greyish-white. The general colour of the plumage is white ; 
the upper part of the head and the hind neck of a fine buff-colour. Primary 
quills brownish-black, their shafts white toward the base. 
Length to end of tail 40£ inches, to end of wings 384, to end of claws 41 ; 
extent of wings 75 ; wing from flexure 20f ; tail 10 ; bill along the ridge 4, 
along the edge of lower mandible 6 ; tarsus 2 ; first toe and claw 1^ ; 
middle toe 3 T 8 2, its claw ^ ; outer toe 3 8 | ; its claw T V Weight 7 lbs. 
The female is similar to the male, but rather smaller. 
Young fully fledged. 
Bill light greyish-brown ; the bare space around the eye pale greyish-blue. 
Iris green. Feet dusky, the narrow bands of scutella pale greyish-blue ; 
claws grevish-white. The head, neck, and upper parts are chocolate-brown, 
each feather with a terminal narrow triangular white spot ; the lower parts 
greyish-white, spotted with greyish-brown ; each feather having a broad 
terminal margin of that colour. The quills and tail-feathers are brownish- 
black. An individual shot in October measured as follows : — 
Length to end of tail 38 inches, to end of claws 32£; extent of wings 72. 
Weight 3 lbs. 4 oz. This individual, however, was very poor. 
Three individuals shot in the neighbourhood of Boston, Massachusetts, 
presented the following dimensions, which are here given as indicative of 
the difference of size frequently observed 
Length to end of tail, 
38f 
38f 
37 
37i 
374 
35 
344 
344 
33 
Extent of wings, 
734 
72 
684 
Wing from flexure, 
191 
174 
194 
An adult Male killed near Boston. The cellular tissue of the back exhi- 
bits vacuities of very large size, intervening between the skin and the mus- 
cles : one, at the lower part of the neck behind, being 5 inches in length ; 
