hexagonal scales, of which the anterior are much larger; toes in the same plane, all connected by reticulated webs, the first shortest, the third and fourth nearly equal, reticulate at the base, scutellate along the rest of the upper surface, claws short, strong, curved, rather acute, that of hind toe with a sharp pectinate inner edge.

Feathers of the head and neck exceedingly small and slender, of the fore part of the head stiff, hair-like and glossy; of the upper middle part of the neck behind a little larger and soft, forming a slight longitudinal crest; of the sides and hind part of the neck soft and downy. The feathers of the upper parts in general are remarkably small, narrow, tapering to a point; of the lower part of the neck stiff and pointed, of the breast and sides somewhat larger than those above, and softer. Wings long, rounded; primaries much curved, with strong square shafts; the second longest, the third very little shorter, the first a little longer than the fifth, secondaries very numerous, rather small, rounded, the inner longer and more tapering. Tail short, slightly rounded, of twenty-two feathers.

Bill greyish-white, tinged with brown, and marked with irregular spots of pale carmine; upper mandible dusky towards the end, lower blackish from the middle to near the end. Bare space between the bill and the eye deep blue; eyelids pink; iris white. Feet black. The gular pouch is greenish-black, the ridges of its wrinkles lighter. The hair-like feathers on the fore part of the head light yellow, the rest of the head white; a stripe of the same margining the pouch to the middle of the neck, and extending a little beyond, a short space between these two lines anteriorly, and the whole of the posterior and lateral parts of the neck of a dark chestnut-brown, the small crest paler. The back and wings are dusky, each feather with the central part greyish-white; the latter colour prevails on the scapulars and larger wing-coverts. Primaries and their coverts brownish-black, secondaries greyish-brown, their outer edges greyish-white; tail light grey; the shafts of the quills and tail-feathers are white in their basal half, black towards the end. The lower parts are brownish-grey; the sides of the neck and body with narrow longitudinal white lines. On the fore neck, below the dark chestnut spot is a smaller pale yellow mark, behind which the feathers for a short space are blackish-brown.

Length to end of tail 52 inches, to end of wings 52, to end of claws 534; extent of wings 80; bill along the ridge 134, along the edge of lower mandible 144; depth of gular pouch 10, its extent along the neck 13; wing from flexure 24; tail 7; tarsus 2; middle toe 311, its claw. Weight 6 lbs. 41 oz.

The Female, which is considerably larger, resembles the male in colour, VOL. VII.

6

only that the neck is yellowish-white in its whole extent, without any brown, and its feathers are stiff and not downy as in the male. Weight 7 lbs. 12 oz. Young.

Bill greyish-blue, its edges and unguis greyish-yellow; gular pouch dull greyish-blue. Iris brownish-yellow; bare space around the eye of a dusky bluish tint, the feathers margining it yellowish-white. The feathers of the head and neck are less downy than in the adult, and those on the sides of the latter less elongated or pointed. The head and neck are dark brown, as are the upper parts generally; the secondary and many of the smaller coverts margined with pale brown; the primaries and their coverts as well as the tail-coverts brownish-black, with white shafts. Feet and claws dull leaden colour.

In an adult female preserved in spirits the general peculiarities of the organization are the same as those described in the American White Pelican.

THE MANGrove.

RHIZOPHORA MANGLE, Linn., Syst. Nat., vol. ii. p. 325.

The species of mangrove represented in the plate is very abundant along the coast of Florida and on almost all the Keys, excepting the Tortugas. Those islands which are named Wet Keys are entirely formed of mangroves, which, raising their crooked and slender stems from a bed of mud, continue to increase until their roots and pendent branches afford shelter to the accumulating debris, when the earth is gradually raised above the surface of the water. No sooner has this taken place than the mangroves in the central part of the island begin to decay, and in the course of time there is only an outer fringe or fence of trees, while the interior becomes overgrown with grass and low bushes. Meantime the mangroves extend towards the sea, their hanging branches taking root wherever they come in contact with the bottom, and their seeds also springing up. I am at a loss for an object with which to compare these trees, in order to afford you an idea of them; yet if you will figure to yourself a tree reversed, and standing on its summit, you may obtain a tolerable notion of their figure and mode of growth. The stem, roots and branches are very tough and stubborn, and in some places the trees are so intertwined that a person might find it as easy to crawl over them as to make his way between them. They are evergreen, and their tops afford a place of resort to various species of birds at all seasons, while their roots and submersed branches give shelter to numberless testaceous mollusca and small fishes. The species represented is rarely observed on the coast of

Florida of a greater height than twenty-five or thirty feet, and its average height is not above fifteen feet. The land mangrove, of which I have seen only a few, the finest of which were on Key West, is a tall tree, much larger and better shaped than the other, with narrower leaves and shorter fruits.

GENUS V.-SULA, Briss. GANNET.

Bill longer than the head, opening beyond the eyes, straight, elongated, conical, moderately compressed; upper mandible with the dorsal line straight and declinate, at the end convex and a little decurved; the ridge very broad, convex, with a slight median carina, and separated on each side from the sides, which are perpendicular, slightly convex, and have an additional narrow-jointed piece below the eye; edges sharp, direct, irregularly serrate, with numerous slender cuts directed backwards, tip compressed, a little decurved, rather acute; lower mandible with the angle extremely long and narrow, the dorsal line straight, ascending, the sides erect, convex, the edges sharp and serrated, the tip compressed, acute. No external nostrils. Head large, neck of moderate length, and very thick; body of moderate bulk, rather elongated. Feet short, strong, placed rather far behind; tibiæ concealed; tarsus very short, rounded before, sharp behind, scaly, with three lines of small transversely oblong scutella, which run down the toes, the latter long and slender, all united by membranes having their margins straight; first toe rather small, directed inwards and forwards; middle toe longest, the outer almost equal. Claws of moderate size, slightly arched, that of the third toe pectinate. Plumage generally close, rather compact, on the head and neck blended. Wings very long, narrow, acute; first quill longest. Tail rather long, cuneate, of twelve or fourteen feathers. Gular sac small, with a small median portion bare; tongue extremely small, blunt; œsophagus extremely wide; proventricular glands forming a broad belt partially divided by intervals; stomach extremely small, its muscular coat thin, the inner soft; intestine of moderate length, slender; cœca very small; cloaca globular.

COMMON GANNET.

SULA BASSANA, Linn.

PLATE CCCCXXV.-ADULT MALE AND YOUNG.

On the morning of the 14th of June, 1833, the white sails of the Ripley were spread before a propitious breeze, and onward she might be seen gaily wending her way toward the shores of Labrador. We had well explored the Magdalene Islands, and were anxious to visit the Great Gannet Rock, where, according to our pilot, the birds from which it derives its name breed. For several days I had observed numerous files proceeding northward, and marked their mode of flight while thus travelling. As our bark dashed through the heaving billows, my anxiety to reach the desired spot increased. At length, about ten o'clock, we discerned at a distance a white speck, which our pilot assured us was the celebrated rock of our wishes. After awhile I could distinctly see its top from the deck, and thought that it was still covered with snow several feet deep. As we approached it, I imagined that the atmosphere around was filled with flakes, but on my turning to the pilot, who smiled at my simplicity, I was assured that nothing was in sight but the Gannets and their island home. I rubbed my eyes, took up my glass, and saw that the strange dimness of the air before us was caused by the innumerable birds, whose white bodies and black-tipped pinions produced a blended tint of light grey. When we had advanced to within half a mile, this magnificent veil of floating Gannets was easily seen, now shooting upwards, as if intent on reaching the sky, then descending as if to join the feathered masses below, and again diverging toward either side and sweeping over the surface of the ocean. The Ripley now partially furled her sails, and lay to, when all on board were eager to scale the abrupt sides of the mountain isle, and satisfy their curiosity.

Judge, reader, of our disappointment. The weather, which hitherto had been beautiful, suddenly changed, and we were assailed by a fearful storm. However, the whale-boat was hoisted over, and manned by four sturdy "down-easters," along with THOMAS LINCOLN and my son. I remained on board the Ripley, and commenced my distant observations, which I shall relate in due time.

An hour has elapsed; the boat, which had been hid from our sight, is now