74 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus PHAETHON Linn^us. (Page 73, pi. XVIII., fig. 1.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Plumage very compact, satiny; color white (sometimes 

 tinged with pink or salmon-color), varied with blackish on upper parts; bill red, 

 orange, or yellow in adults ; tarsi and base of toes yellowish, rest of feet black. Nest 

 a cavity among rocks on sea-shore of oceanic islands. Egg ovate, dilute claret- 

 brown or whitish speckled, sprinkled, spotted, or blotched with deep claret-brown. 



a}. Elongated middle tail-feathers with their webs very much broader than the 

 moderately rigid shaft. 

 Ip-. Bill yellow or orange. Adult : lengthened tail-feathers pinkish or salmon- 

 colored, with black shafts ; no black bars on upper parts, the black being 

 in form of patches on scapulars, etc. Young : Upper parts irregularly 

 barred with black ; tail-feathers marked with a black spot near the end, 

 the middle pairs not elongated. Length (of adult, including lengthened 

 tail-feathers) 25.00-32.00, wing about 11.00, elongated tail-feathers 20.00, 

 or less, culmen 2.25. Egg 2.21 X 1-54. Hab. Intertropical seas, chiefly 

 middle western Atlantic, especially in vicinity of the Bermudas and 

 throughout West Indies, north to Florida ; South Pacific (Samoan 

 Islands) ; accidental in western New York. 



112. P. flavirostris Brandt. Yellow-billed Tropic Bird. 

 b^. Bill coral-red. Adult: Lengthened middle tail-feathers pure white, with 

 white shafts (except toward base) ; upper parts irregularly barred with 

 blackish. Young : (Not seen.) Length (of adult with perfectly devel- 

 oped middle tail-feathers) 30.00-35.00, wing 11.75-12.50, elongated tail- 

 feathers 22.00, or less, culmen about 2.50. Egg 2.22 X 1-59. Hab. Coasts 

 of tropical America (both sides), north to Lower California and West 

 Indies ; casual at the Newfoundland Banks. 



113. P. sethereus Linn. Red-billed Tropic Bird. 

 «*. Elongated middle tail-feathers with their webs much narrower than the very 

 rigid shaft. 



Bill yellowish. Adidt : Lengthened middle tail-feathers dull reddish, with 

 black shafts ; wing 13.00, or more, culmen about 2.50. JIab. South 

 Pacific. 



P. rubricaudus Bodd. Red-tailed Tropic Bird.* 



Family SULIDi©,— The Gannets. (Page 73.) 



Genera. 

 (Characters same as for the Family) Sula. (Page 75.) 



1 Phaeton rubricauda Bodd., Tabl. P. E. 1783, 67 {ex Buff. PI. Enl. 979). 



