SUL A FIBER. 
465 
be rapidly exchanged, while each vociferously proclaimed its rights. The noise of the strife 
frequently attracted the attention of the birds which were in the immediate vicinity, and 
sometimes a third, or even a fourth, evidently mates of the contesting parties, would join 
in the fray, until two, locking bills, would pull and tug for a time, then, losing their foot¬ 
ing, roll over and over, for the shelf was an inclined plane, until reaching the edge of the 
cliff, they would go down still clinging to each other. When falling, they seldom endeav¬ 
ored to spread their wings, but striking violently upon some projecting rock, would bound 
off and drop half stunned into the water far beneath. The Murres were breeding in close 
proximity to this place and if one chanced to approach to near the irritable Gannets, it was 
seized by the neck and unceremoniously dropped over the precipice. 
I found that the Gannets which occupied the rocky shelves, were quite bold and when 
I endeavored to make my way along the slippery ledges, supported by a rope, they would 
attempt to dispute my passage, striking out fiercely at me with their strong bills. The 
young Gannets, of which their were several on the shelves, are naked when hatched and 
very helpless, being fed by regurgitation. Fishes are taken into the stomach of the parent 
and reduced into a perfectly transparent fluid which is somewhat gelatinous, and which is 
ejected in small quantities into the mouths of the offspring; then when a little older they 
eat half digested fish. Mackerel appeared to form the principal diet of the Gannets while 
I remained in the Gulf of St Lawrence, and the birds capture these agile fishes by flying 
over the water to the height of fifty feet or more, then diving when they perceive one in 
the proper position to secure, often becoming submerged for some minutes after the plunge. 
Their prey which is swallowed whole and often living, is frequently very large, and I have 
seen mackerel at least eighteen inches long, lying upon the rocks where they had been dis¬ 
gorged. Although the Gannets are heavy birds, they ride lightly upon the water, as they 
are provided with large air-cells that are situated along their sides, between the skin and 
body, and can be inflated at will. Bird Rock is the southernmost breeding ground of this 
species on our coast and probably the largest, for I estimated that there were, at least, 
twenty thousand Gannets nesting on the great and lesser rocks. They winter along the 
coast from New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. 
SXJLA FIBER. 
Booby Gannet. 
Sulafiber Law., Birds, N. A.; 1858, 872. * 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, rather robust. Size, not large. Color. Adult. The head and neck all around and upper parts, 
dark-brown, tinged with ashy. White below. Iris, white, bill, naked space about head, and feet, yellow. Young, ashy- 
brown throughout, lighter beneath. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Easily recognized by the small size, and brown, unspotted upper parts. Occurs on the coast of Florida. Constantly 
resident on the Bahamas. Accidental as far north as Massachusetts. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 30 50; stretch, 41‘00; wing, 15'75; tail, 8'25; bill, 3‘75; tarsus, 1'60. 
Longest specimen, 31 00; greatest extent of wing, 42'00; longest wing, 16 50; tail, 8'50; bill, 3'90; tarsus, 1*72. Shortest 
specimen, 30'00; smallest extent of wing, 40'00; shortest wing, 15'00; tail, 8'00; bill, 3'60; tarsus, 1'48. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs, usually placed on the naked ground or rock, one or two in number, oval in foam, greenish-blue in color. Di¬ 
mensions from 1'50x2'15 to l'58x2'65. 
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