138 PHAETHONTID. 
World undoubtedly occurs on the Atlantic coast, though its capture has not been 
recorded within our limits. The specimen from the Gulf of Nicoya procured by Salvin 
in 1870, and referred to this species, is considered by Mr. Ogilvie Grant to be an 
immature P. wthereus. 
2. Phaethon ethereus. 
Phaeton ethereus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 219'; Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. Bremen, 1870, p. 362°; 
Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 317°; Goss, Auk, v. p. 244% 
Phaethon ethereus, A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 89°; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. Birds 
Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 457°; Anthony, Auk, xv. pp. 3147, 316°, 317°; Nelson, N. Amer. 
Faun. no. 14, p. 28°. 
Phaeton flavirostris, Salv. Ibis, 1870, p. 116 (nec Brandt) '*. 
Albus, noteo crebre nigro fasciolato; supracaudalibus haud externe fasciatis; rectricibus 14, pure albis, 
rhachidibus basin versus nigris ; tectricibus alarum albis, minimis et medianis plus minusve celatim nigro 
sagittatis; secundariis intimis nigris, albo utrinque marginatis; tectricibus primariorum et primariis 
nigris, intus et ad apicem albis, remigibus reliquis albis, rhachidibus basin versus nigris; pileo albo, 
macula anteorbitali et fascia lata supra regionem paroticam nigris; facie laterali et corpore subtus toto 
pure albis, hypochondriis fasciis latis nigris ornatis et interdum marmoratis ; subalaribus et axillaribus 
albis: rostro lete corallino ; pedibus et digitorum basi flavis, digitis aliter et unguibus nigris ; iride nigra. 
Long. tota circa 41-0, ale 11-8, caude 4:55, rectr. med. 27-0, culm. 2:5, tarsi 1-2. (Descr. maris adulti 
ex Ins. Anguilla. Mus. Brit.) 
Juv. adultis similis, sed fasciis transversalibus nigris latioribus et cauda abbreviata distinguendus. (Descr. 
exempl. ex Nicoya. Mus. nostr.) 
flab. Coasts oF TRopicaAL AMERIca to as far north as Cape Colnett, Lower California, 
on the Pacific side, occasionally on the Newfoundland Banks °.—REvVILLAGIGEDO 
Is., San Benedicte I.", Socorro I. 8, and Clarion I. ® (Anthony) ; Mexico, 130 miles 
off the west coast (Minsch*), Tres Marias Is., Isabel I., and rocky islets near 
San Blas (Nelson 1°), coast of Michoacan (Xantus*); Sanvapor, Acajutla (Capt. 
Dow ®); Costa Rica, Gulf of Nicoya (#. Arcé ").—West Inpigs, Anguilla I. 
This species is an inhabitant of the tropical portions of the Atlantic and Pacific 
Oceans. It has been met with on some of the West-Indian Islands, and doubtless 
visits the Atlantic coasts of Central America, though at present we have no actual 
record of its occurrence there. On the Pacific side this ‘Tropic-bird is known to breed 
on San Pedro Martir and other islands in the Gulf of California 4°, and Mr. Anthony 
found it common on the Revillagigedo Islands7*%. Mr. Nelson says that it breeds on 
Isabel Island, and in suitable places on rocky islets near San Blas and about the 
Tres Marias}°. Dr. Otto Finsch records a specimen as having been obtained at 
sea 130 miles from the west coast of Mexico?. Arcé sent us a young bird with 
yellowish bill from the Gulf of Nicoya, which we at that time determined as 
P. flavirostris }, 
The sitting-birds never attempt to fly away, but defend their eggs with great vigour 
and loud cries, which Mr. Nelson describes as consisting of “a series of short, harsh, 
