LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN GULLS AND TEENS. 309 



Of their behavior with relation to other species Professor Watson 

 (1908) writes: 



From the writings of otiiers I had drawn the conclusion that the frigate 

 bird attaclts the terns and forces them to disgorge, and that it feeds npon 

 their young. I spent many weary hours in attempting to discover the relation 

 of the frigate bird to the terns, especially its relation to the nod<lies. Since 

 the noddies build their nests in the bushes where the frigate birds roost, it 

 was presumed that there, if anywhere, the devouring tendency of the frigate 

 bird ought to appear. I found that the cause of the disturbance between noddy 

 and frigate bird lies chiefly in the fact that the latter, in attempting to find 

 a bush in which to rest, sun, or roost, will oftentimes alight upon or very near 

 to a noddy nest, whereupon the noddy most immediately concerned and those 

 near by will attack the frigate bird, and at times even rout him. It is a com- 

 mon occurrence especially late in the afternoon when the frigate birds are re- 

 turning to see hundreds of such fights. The noddy is always careful to attack 

 the frigate birds by sudden thrusts (usually made from below), dodging 

 quickly to avoid their fearful and powerful beaks. 



Mr. Edward W. Gifford (1913) says: 



It was not uncommon to see a noddy sitting on the head of a brown pelican, 

 while the latter was resting on the water swallowing fish. Once I saw two on a 

 pelican's head at one time. Several often accompanied the young pelicans in 

 their excursions along the coasts. 



Gathering the eggs of this and other sea birds for food has long 

 since been stopped in the Dry Tortiigas by including the islands on 

 which they breed in a reservation and by protecting them ; but the 

 practice still continues in the West Indies, where the eggs are con- 

 sidered a legitimate food supply and are gathered in large numbers. 



Fall. — According to Dr. Joseph Thompson, United States Navy, 

 (1903) , " toward the end of September the birds begin to leave. They 

 leave in great flocks and at night. The entire exodus consumes, 

 apparentW, but two or three days; and some morning the observer 

 will find the island absolutely deserted, save for a few crippled birds 

 that have been injured and are unable to follow their comrades." 

 Just where they go or how they spend the winter months does not 

 seem to be very well known. They are probably scattered widely 

 along the tropical coast of South America and among the numerous 

 islands inclosing the Caribbean Sea. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — The Atlantic form breeds from the Florida Keys 

 (Dry Tortugas) and the Bahamas (Atwood's and Gaulding's Keys, 

 Dry and Booby Rocks, Acklin, and Berry Islands, etc.), eastward 

 and southward throughout the West Indies (Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, 

 Porto Rico, Dominica, Carriacou, etc.), to Venezuela (Margarita 

 Island). South in the Atlantic Ocean to St. Helena, Tristan da 

 Cunha, and Ascension Islands. West to the coast of British Hon- 



