BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 263 



gun in my hand at the moment. One was shot, as recorded by Lieu- 

 tenant Denison, Koyal Engineers, at Basden's Pond, in the autumn of 

 1875. 



Family TACHYPETID^. 



Genus Tachypetes, Vieil. 



164. Tachypetes aquilus, Vieil. Frigate Bird ; Man-of-War Birds 



Tachypetei aquilus, Vieil., Bp. 



Pelecanus aquilus, Linn., Nutt., Aud., Gamb. 



Attagcn aquila. Gray. 



Length, 41; wing, 25; bill, 5.50; tail, 18; tarsus, .8. 



Sab. — Texas to Florida ; California (Baird). 



Two were obtained at Ireland Island, on the 27th and 30th Sep- 

 tember, 1848, respectively, by Colonel Wedderburn. One was shot 

 by Captain Clutterbuck, of the fifty-sixth regiment, on September 30, 

 1852, and another by Captain Tolcher, of the same regiment, on April 

 2, 1854. Mr. Bartram has three specimens in his collection, obtained 

 by himself. The latest of these he shot in October, 1876, when there was 

 a very strong gale from the northwest, lasting some days, and a great 

 influx of Terns, Frigate-Birds, Ospreys, &c. 



Family PHAETONID^. 

 Genus Phaeton, Linn. 



165. Phaeton Jlavirostris, Brandt. Yellow-billed Tropic Bird. 



Lepturus Candidas, Briss., Bp. 



Phaeton Candidas, Gray. 



Phaeton aithereus, Bp., Nutt., Aud. 



Phaeton jlavirostris, Brandt, Scl. 

 Length, 30 ; wing, 11 ; tail, 18.50 ; bill, 2.05 ; tarsus, .9. 

 Hal). — Florida coast (Baird) ; Cuba ; Bermuda. 



The geographical distribution of the three known species of Tropic- 

 bird, P. wthereus, P. Jlavirostris, and P. rubricauda, seems not yet well 

 defined, and no doubt their extensive wanderings will render any at- 

 tempt at precise limitation extremely difficult, certainly until we are 

 in possession of a larger series of observations than at present. P. Jlavi- 

 rostris (the "Boatswain-bird" or "Long-tail" of the Bermudas) is a 

 familiar aud abundant summer visitor to the islands, arriving at the end 

 of February or beginning of March, and departing early in October. 

 An occasional straggler is said to have been seen in Bermudian waters 

 in winter time, presumably an early arrival, or backward young bird 



