220 
THE BOOBY GANNET. 
and a species of Tern, Sterna stolida, and spend their hours of daily rest on 
the sand-banks. Our pilot, who was a man of great observation, assured me 
that while at Vera Cruz, he saw the fishermen there go to sea, and return 
from considerable distances, simply by following the course of the Boobies. 
The bills and legs, of those which I procured in the brown plumage, and 
which were from one to two years of age, were dusky-blue. These were 
undergoing moult on the 14th of May. At a more advanced age, the parts 
mentioned become paler, and when the bird has arrived at maturity, are as 
represented in my plate. I observed no external difference between the 
sexes in the adult birds. The stomach is a long dilatable pouch, thin, and 
of a yellow colour. The body is muscular, and the flesh, which is of a dark 
colour, tough, and having a disagreeable smell, is scarcely fit for food. 
I am unable to find a good reason for those who have chosen to call these 
birds boobies. Authors, it is true, generally represent them as extremely 
stupid ; but to me the word is utterly inapplicable to any bird with which 
I am acquainted. The Woodcock, too, is said to be stupid, as are many 
other birds ; but my opinion, founded on pretty extensive observation, is, 
that it is only when birds of any species are unacquainted with man, that 
they manifest that kind of ignorance or innocence which he calls stupidity , 
and by which they suffer themselves to be imposed upon. A little 
acquaintance with him soon enables them to perceive enough of his charac- 
ter to induce them to keep aloof. This I observed in the Booby Gannet, 
as well as in the Noddy Tern, and in certain species of land birds of which 
I have already spoken. After my first visit to Booby Island in the 
Tortugas, the Gannets had already become very shy and wary, and before 
the Marion sailed away from those peaceful retreats of the wandering sea 
birds, the Boobies had become so knowing, that the most expert of our party 
could not get within shot of them. 
Sula fusca, Bonap. Syn., p. 408. 
Booby, Sula fusca, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 500. 
Booby Gannet, Sula fusca , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 03. 
Male, 31, 49J. 
Gulf of Mexico, and as far east as the coast of Georgia. Breeds on the 
Tortugas Keys, south of Florida. Abundant. Migratory. 
Adult Male. 
Bill longer than the head, opening beyond the eyes, straight, elongated- 
conical, broader above than beneath at the base, compressed. Upper man- 
dible with the dorsal line convex at the base, then a little concave, and 
towards the tip slightly arched, ridge very broad, convex, separated by a 
seam on each side from the sides, which are nearly perpendicular, edges 
