64 THE BIRDS OF ANDROS ISLAND, BAHAMAS 



and this may have made the Flamingo seem better than it really was; nevertheless 

 I think it would bear comparison with any of the much sought after game-birds. 

 The stomachs of the pair I obtained contained no fish, but many small shells and 

 much mud. 



66. Dendrocygna arborea Linn. Tree Duck. —A flock of Ducks was 

 seen in a lake on the west side on April 21, but we could obtain no specimens. A 

 negro who was with us said that they were "Whistling Ducks," and, as Cory ' 

 states that this species was quite abundant on Andros, the negro was probably 

 right. I was told that earlier in the year the Ducks were very numerous on the 

 swashes. The ground about the lake mentioned was pitted with shallow holes 

 about two to four inches in diameter which our man said had been made by the 

 Ducks while feeding, when the place had been covered with water. I also saw a 

 smaller Duck near Wide Opening on June 17. In answer to my questions, I was 

 told that it was a "Summer Duck." 



*67. Fregata aquila Linn. Man-o'-war Bird. — A number of these birds 

 had their roosting place in the large mangrove near Mastic Point, already spoken 

 of in connection with the Red-winged Blackbirds. We were told that formerly 

 they used to breed there, but that of late years they had gone farther from the 

 settlement. 



*68. Pelecanus fuscus Linn. Brown Pelican. — A few seen, and one, a 

 young bird, obtained. 



*6o. Phalacrocorax dilophus fioridanus And. Florida Cormorant. — Cory, 

 in his "Birds of the Bahamas," states that this is an abundant species, but in his 

 "West Indian Birds" says it is accidental in the Bahamas. We often saw it, and 

 on June 16, while sailing through the Northern Bight, found them breeding on a 

 small island known as Cormorant Cay. Here were old and young birds, some not 

 able to leave the nest, but the majority able to walk. Those still in the nest were 

 covered with a soft sooty down, and their gular sacks were pale yellowish white, 

 darker near the bill. The nests were about eighteen inches in diameter, and about 

 one foot in height, roughly constructed of sticks. 



*7o. Anous stolidus Linn. Noddy. — ■ A flock of these birds was seen near 

 Fresh Creek, on June 6. They were occasionally seen afterward. 



♦71. Larus atricilla Linn. Laughing Gull. — Abundant. First noted early 

 in April. 



*72. Sterna maxima Bodd. Royal Tern. — One specimen shot April 14 

 on Long Sound on the northern coast of Andros. A few more were seen, but the 

 bird was not common. 



*73_ Sterna fuliginosa Gmel. Sooty Tern. — Since our return a specimen of 

 this bird has been kindly sent to us by Mr. Alexander Keith of Andros. We saw 

 none of this species while on the island. 



74. Sterna anaethetus Scop. Bridled Tern. — Abundant on a small bay near 

 Fresh Creek, where they breed. The people call this and the preceding species 

 "egg birds," and during the season collect and eat their eggs. They were not 



1 "Birds of Bahamas," p. 183. 



