200 BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 



FAM. TACHYPETID.^. 



TACHYPETES AQUILUS. {Linn.) 

 Man-of-War Bird. 



Ad2ilt Male. — Entire plumage, brownish black, showing a green- 

 ish reflection on the head, and purplish upon the back ; tail forked, 

 and composed of twelve feathers ; gular sac, pale orange ; iris, 

 brown. 



Adult Female. — Differs from the male by having a white patcli 

 on the breast, passing along the sides of the neck, and around near 

 the middle. 



Length 43, wing 25, tail ig, tarsus i, bill 6. 



The " Frigate," as it is sometimes called, frecjuents all of the 

 Bahama Islands, but only during the breeding season do the}^ appear 

 to congregate in any one place. They remain throughout the year, 

 but seem to become more numerous as the Terns commence to 

 arrive. While at Abaco, on June 24, we procured a number of 

 nests, containing young birds apparently between two and three 

 weeks old. The nest was placed in mangrove-bushes close to the 

 water's edge. For the first few days the youog birds would not cat 



