M. Sundevall on the Birds of Calcutta, 233 



found within the boundaries of Bengal, I may reasonably enu- 

 merate the water-birds which I saw in the Bay of Bengal, and 

 which certainly often come ashore in that country. 



101. Tachy petes aquilus, Vieill., Pelecanus, Linn. Frigate- 

 birds were seen several times in December in the Indian Ocean, 

 between 10° N. and 10^ S., but not beyond these limits. There 

 were commonly two or three not far from each other, and in 

 places where flocks of other sea-birds were assembled, but the 

 frigate-birds soared high over these in large circles like the kite, 

 with which it has so much resemblance in the form of tail, size, 

 and mode of flight, that one might easily mistake them. Occa- 

 sionally the colour of one species (7". minor) resembles that of 

 the kite. The wings however are more angular, and the long 

 beak is distinctly visible. The feet are more like those of rapa- 

 cious than of natatorial birds, and the membrane is scarcely larger 

 than that found at the base of the toes in most birds of prey. 

 The plumage also has a rather anomalous appearance for a water- 

 bird, especially in the feathered tibia. It constitutes a truly 

 transitional form between the rapacious and natatorial birds. It 

 is often seen to plunge into the water from a great height after 

 the flying-fish, which seem to form its principal food. All the 

 specimens I saw were white below, and seemed to be blackish 

 above. I saw no frigate-birds in the Atlantic Ocean, though they 

 are found there also, and breed abundantly on Ascension Island 

 (see Burton in Linn. Trans, vol. xiii. p. 1). They are stated to 

 lay only a single egg, upon the ground, in September, which is 

 sat upon by the male, who is wholly black ; the female, who is 

 white below, procures food. They cannot walk on the ground. 

 (Burton, /. c.) 



102. Phaeton melanorhynchus ? Gm., Lath. Small Tropic-birds 

 occur commonly in the Indian Sea, within the torrid zone ; but 

 though I certainly saw hundreds, and many of them only twenty 

 or thirty ells distant, 1 did not succeed in getting any; for if one 

 were to shoot a bird in the open sea, it is commonly impossible 

 to procure it. This species is hardly as big as a pigeon ; it seems 

 but little larger than Sterna hirundo, and is all white except a 

 black band near the eye and one upon the wing. The tail is 

 rounded, rather shorter than that of a pigeon, with two long 

 white medial feathers, which measured from the root are as long 

 as the rest of the body including the beak. Among the many 

 which I could distinctly observe, not one occurred which had 

 these feathers red, or as long as they are commonly figured and 

 described in Tropic-birds. The beak appeared red and the feet 

 black. The young ones arc waved with black or gray on the upper 

 part. In outv» ard appearance and mode of flight it resembles a 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Vol xix. 17 



