THE BIRD BOOK 



MAN-0 -WAR BIRDS. Family FREGATID^ 



141 



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or^ 



128. Man-o'-war Bird. Fregata aquila. 



Range. — Tropical seas, north regularly in America to the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf coasts, casually farther. 



Man-o'-war Birds or "Frigates," as tliey are 

 often called, are remarkable birds in many re- 

 spects. In comparison with their weight they 

 have the largest expanse of wing of any known 

 bird. Weighing only about four pounds they have 

 an extent of from seven to eight feet, their wings 

 being extremely long and pointed. The length of 

 the bird is about 40 inches, of wliicli the tail com- 

 prises about IS in., 10 inclies of this being forked. 

 They have a large bright orange gular sac, a long. 



White 



hooked bill, and small slightly webbed feet. Their 



powers of flight combine the strength of the 



Albatrosses and the grace of the Terns. They 



are very poor swimmers and do not dive, so are 



forced to procure their food by preying upon the 



Gulls and Cormorants, forcing them to drop their 



fish, which the pirates catch before it reaches the 



water. They also feed upon flying fisli, catching 



them in the air, whither they have been driven by 



their enemies in their natural element. They nest in large colonies on some of 



the Bahama Islands and on some of the small Florida Keys. Their nests are 



small frail platforms of sticks and twigs and the single egg is laid in March 



and April. It is white and has a smootli surface. SvAe 2.80 x 1.90. Data. — Key 



Verde, Bahamas, March 6, 1889. Single egg. Nest a frail affair of sticks on a 



cactus. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



Man-O'-War Bird 



86 



