THE BOOBY GAOTET. 
221 
sharp, inflected, serrated, tip acute. No external nostrils. Lower mandible 
prolonged at the base behind the upper, its angle very long, wide at the base, 
with a bare membrane, very narrow towards the end, dorsal line straight, 
ascending, sides convex, tip very acute, edges serrated towards the end. 
Head rather large ; neck rather long and thick ; body of moderate bulk, 
rather elongated ; wings long. Feet short, strong, placed rather far 
behind ; tibiae concealed ; tarsus very short, rounded before, sharp behind, 
covered all round with reticular scales ; toes all united by membranes ; first 
very short, being about half the length of the second, third and fourth 
longest and nearly equal, but the claw of the third is much longer than 
that of the fourth ; claws small, compressed, acute, curved, that of the 
third toe largest, depressed, curved outwards, with a thin pectinated inner 
edge. 
Plumage generally short, close, rather compact, the feathers small and 
rounded ; those on the head very small ; loral and orbital spaces bare, as is 
that in the angle of the lower mandible, and a short space above the tibio- 
tarsal joint ; wings long, acute, narrow ; primaries strong, narrow, tapering 
rapidly to a rounded point, first and second longest and about equal, the 
rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, rather broad, narrowed towards 
the rounded point. Tail rather long, cuneate, of twelve narrow, tapering 
feathers. 
Bill and naked parts at its base bright yellow, pale flesh-coloured towards 
the end ; a dusky spot before the eye. Iris white. Tarsi, toes, and their 
connecting webs, pale yellow, claws white. Head, neck all round, upper 
parts in general, and lower surface of wings, dusky-brown, tinged with 
grey ; the breast, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, pure white. 
Length 31 inches, to end of claws 27, extent of wings 29i ; bill along the 
back Sj-J, along the edge 5 ; tarsus 1 T 8 2, middle toe and claw 3£. Wing 
from flexure 161, tail 8£. Weight 3 lbs. 4$ oz. 
The Female resembles the male, but is smaller. 
The Young, when fledged, are of a greyish-brown colour all over, the 
breast and abdomen being merely a little lighter than the rest. The bill 
and claws are dusky, the tarsi and toes with their membranes dull yellow. 
