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CHAPTER I. 

 THE FRIGATE-BIRDS. 



" Or with a base and boisterous sword enforce 

 A thievish Hving on the common road." 



Shakespere. 



HE PELICANIDiE consist of the Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters, Frigate-birds, 

 Gannets, and Tropic-birds. Out of this remarkably mixed family, only the 

 three last are true Ocean Birds. Taking them in their order, first come 

 the Frigate-birds, of which genus there are two species. 



The Great Frigate-bird {Tachypetes aquilus). — It is a common mistake to suppose 

 that "aquilus" here refers to any similarity that may exist between this bird and the 

 Eagle. The word is the adjective aquilus, signifying dark-coloured, and is used to 

 denote the dusky plumage of the male. Tachypetes (from ra^'s, swift, and 7r£T0At«i, to fly) 

 means swift-flying. This marvellous swift-flying power of the Frigate-bird is the natural 

 result of a tiny body propelled by wings proportionately larger than any other known 

 bird. Waterton tells us that the muscles of the breast that work these wonderful wings 

 are in themselves one quarter the weight of the whole body. Relying on this power, to 

 get home, it is often met with 1000 miles from shore. Besides its various local names, 

 this magnificent tropical bird has many Enghsh aliases; such as " Man-of-War Bird," 

 "Man-of-War Hawk," "Frigate PeHcan," and "Great Frigate-bird." 



To mariners the Frigate-bird is especially well known from the fact of its being 

 always more or less attracted by any passing vessel. As a rule, the chance of obtaining 

 one of these ocean specimens is small, as they generally fly so high that it would be 

 difficult even to hit them; much more to shoot them so as to fall on deck, which is a 

 feat like dropping a rocketting Pheasant in a space the width of a ship's deck. Once, 

 however, on board a fine sailing chpper, in lat. 12° 13' N. and long. 111° 3' E., I was 



