56 



North American Birds Eggs. 



[I I 3.1. J Red-tailed Tropic Bird. Phactlum nibricaudus. 



Range.— Tropical regions of the Paeitic and Indian Oceans, accidental off the 

 coast of Lower California. 



This is a singularly beauti- 

 ful species resembling the 

 latter except that the central 

 tail feathers are bright red, 

 with the extreme tips white. 

 s. During August and Septeni- 



. > ber they breed in large 



colonies on small islands in 

 A the South Seas. On Maur- 

 itius Island they build their 

 nests either in the trees or 

 place them on the ground; 

 the nest is made of seaweed, 

 ;f sticks and weeds; numbers of 



them nest on Laysan Is., of 

 the Hawaiian group, conceal- 

 ing their nests on the ground 

 under overhanging brush. 



The single egg has a pale 

 pur|ilish ground speckled 

 with brown. 



[Pale purplish ground color. 



Photo by A. II. Verrill. 

 YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC BIRDS NEST. 



