THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
284 
notes. Also called Richardson’s Skua, Long-tailed Jaeger, Sea- 
pirate, Parasite Gull, Robber Gull, and Teaser. Usually arrives in the 
southern hemisphere during October or November, departing about 
February or March. It is similar in habits and economy to the Dark 
Southern Skua. Besides the bird figured, there is a light phase, differ¬ 
ing in having the sides of the head and neck straw-yellow, chin and 
breast dull white, and the remainder of the under-parts ash-brown. 
Breeds on Commander and Aleutian Islands, and in Alaska, Canada, 
Greenland, Scotland, northern Europe, and Siberia. 
nest. A shallow depression in the ground, slightly lined with grass 
or moss. 
eggs. Two, dark stone to greenish-buff, spotted chiefly at the larger 
end, with very dark brown to light grey markings; other eggs have 
large irregular-shaped markings of light brown. Breeding-season: May 
to July. 
18. Brown Gannet Sula leucogaster Boddaert 
Su'-la— Gk, sulan, to plunder: leuc-o-gas'-ter— Gk, leucos, white; Gk, 
gastcr, belly. 
distribution. Seas of north-western, northern, and north-eastern 
Australia, to the tropic of Capricorn: occurs generally in the tropical 
oceans. 
notes. Also called Brown Booby. Usually in small parties or large 
flocks, generally flying with a direct, steady flight rather close to the 
surface of the water. Its food consists of fish, which it obtains by diving 
from the air and then pursuing them under water. This species not 
uncommonly dives from a height of GO feet or more. Breeds in colonies 
on several islands of the Great Barrier Reef, on Bunker, Raine, Darn- 
ley, and Bedout Islands, Ellis Island (Gulf of Carpentaria), and also 
on islands in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and tropical Atlan¬ 
tic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. 
nest. A depression in soil or sand, around which is placed any 
material near at hand, such as pieces of coral and seaweed, and added 
to as incubation proceeds. 
eggs. Two, bluish-white, with a coating of lime. Breeding-season: 
from July probably to December or later. 
19. Red-footed Gannet Sula sula Linn£ 
su'la— Gk, sulan, to plunder. 
distribution. Seas of north-eastern Australia; occurs in the tropi¬ 
cal seas (except the Pacific coast of South America). 
notes. Also called Red-legged Gannet and Red-footed Booby. It is 
similar in habits and economy to the Brown Gannet. Breeds in colonies 
on Raine Island, also on islands in the Caribbean Sea, on Ascension 
and South Trinidad Islands, and on many islands in the Indian 
Ocean and western and central Pacific Ocean. 
nest. A substantial platform of interwoven sticks, with a shallow 
