428 TROPIC BIRDS. 



Sub-Family I. 

 THE TROPIC BIRDS. PIIAETONINvE. 



General Characteristics. — Bill as long as the head, and broad at the base, with 

 the culmen elevated, keeled, curved, and the sides much compressed to the tip, 

 which is acute, the gonys long and ascending; the nostrils basal, linear, and ex- 

 posed ; the wings long and pointed ; the tail modeinle, graduated, with the two 

 middle feathers prolonged and linear; the tarsi short; the toes long, and all united 

 by a membrane. 



These birds are only met with in the tropical seas, where they 

 are frequently seen, at a great distance from land, flying with 

 outstretched pinions over the ocean, and seizing fishes and other 

 marine animals that approach the surface, but more especially 

 preying upon the flying-fish as it bounds out of the sea. Not- 

 withstanding the distance to which they roam, they are said by 

 voyagers to return every night to roost on dry land, and to breed 

 upon the rocks of tropical shores. Some of them^ as the frigate- 

 birds, resemble the Raptores in their habits, being endowed with a 

 sight remarkably piercing, with an immense expanse and power of 

 wing, and with the most determined audacity. They attack other 

 birds nearly of their own size, forcing them to disgorge or relin- 

 quish the fish they have caught. It is difficult to imagine a more 

 imposing sight than half a dozen of these aerial tyrants sailing in 

 mid-air, and suddenly swooping down upon a shoal of fish that 

 may have approached near the surface of the sea. At other times, 

 during a storm, they will soar to such a height as to appear but as 

 specks in the firmament ; indeed, all their powers of motion seem 

 to be concentrated in their wings, for their feet are so short and 

 ■imbecile that when upon the ground they may be approached 

 with perfect ease, but in their proper element their speed is 

 wonderful. 



" The frigate pelican is possessed of a power of flight superior, 

 perhaps, to that of any other bird. The swiftest of our hawks 

 arc obliged to pursue their victims at times for half a mile at the 

 highest pitch of their speed before they can secure them ; but 

 the frigate pelican comes from on high with the velocity of a 

 meteor, and on nearing the object of its pursuit, which its keen 

 eye has spied while fishing at a distance, darts on either side to 

 cut off all retreat, forcing it to drop or disgorge the fish which it has 

 just caught. Yonder over the waves leaps the brilliant dolphin 

 as he pursues the flying-fishes, which he expects to seize the 



