LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN PETRELS AND PELICANS. 181 



for the species as a whole, than to leave out the full and very intei-- 

 esting accounts which have been written on the Australian bird. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — The subspecies which belongs on the North 

 American list breeds in the Salvage and Cape Verde Islands, in the 

 eastern Nortli Atlantic Ocean. Other subspecies breed on islands in 

 Australian and New Zealand seas. 



Range. — North Atlantic Ocean. Limits not well defined. 



Casual records. — Accidental off the coast of Massachusetts (40'^ 

 34' north, 66° 9' west, September 2, 1885) and in Great Britain 

 (Walney Island, Lancashire, November, 1890, and Colonsay, Inner 

 Hebrides, January 1, 1897). 



Egg dates. — Salvage Islands: One record, April 27. Cape Verde 

 Islands : One record, March 15. 



Order STEGANOPODES. 



TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. 



Family PHAETHONTIDAE, Tropic-birds. 



LEPTOPHAETHON LEPTURUS CATESBYI (Brandt). 



YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC-BIRD. 



HABITS. 



The warm waters of the Gulf Stream, sweeping northeastward 

 across the Atlantic, produce in the little Bermuda group semitropical 

 conditions and bring thither this beautiful species of tropical origin, 

 which finds here ideal conditions for rearing its young in the numer- 

 ous recesses and cavities of the honey-combed limestone cliffs, so 

 characteristic of these islands. Mr. A. Hyatt Verrill (1901) writes: 



The most striking bird of the Bemnulas is the yellow-billed tropic-bird 

 {Phaeton americanus) ; or "Long Tail" of the natives. These beautiful crea- 

 tures arrive about March 2.5th, and within a few days become exceedingly abun- 

 dant. As many as 300 can frequently be seen at one time, flying about the cliffs 

 or skimming the surface of the wonderfully colored water, the reflection from 

 which causes their breasts to appear the most lovely and delicate sea-green. 

 They are very tame and unsuspicious, flying close to moving boats and breeding 

 everywhere, often within a few yards of houses or settlements. 



The value of properly enforced bird protection is nowhere better exemplified 

 than in the case of this bird. A few years ago the tropic birds were threatened 

 with extinction from the Bermudas, whereas, since the passing of strict laws, 

 prohibiting killing of birds or taking the eggs, they have rapidly increased, 

 until at present the number breeding yearly on the islands is calculated at fully 

 5,000. 



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