l66 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



and the tropic-birds and frigate-birds represented by accidental wanderers. 

 They are all altricial or nidicolous in nature. The eggs are single or few, 

 usually plain colored, but covered with a chalky incrustation. They build 

 their nests on the ground, rocky ledges, or brushy trees near the water, 

 and are wholly carnivorous in diet, the food consisting almost entirely of fish. 



Family PHA-BTHONTIDAEJ 



Tropic-hirds 



Bill stout, nearly straight, pointed, the two mandibles of equal length; 

 nostrils distinct, linear; head large; neck short; gular pouch very small 

 and feathered; tail of 12 to 16 feathers, the two middle ones in the adult, 

 plumelike and extremely elongated ; wings rather long and pointed ; primaries 

 very long; feet small and the hind toe more elevated than tisvial in this 

 order, but fully webbed; plumage satiny, mostly white. 



The tropic-birds are confined to the warmer seas, six species being 

 recognized, three of which reach the United States. They resemble terns 

 in general appearance, are gregarious in habit, and strong and swift in 

 flight. Tliey lay a single egg in some hole in the rockv cliff. The egg, like 

 many features of the family, is aberrant for this order, being inostly of a 

 chocolate color like a kestrel's, boldly spotted and blotched with brown 

 and black. 



Phaethon americanus Grant 

 YcUoiv-billcd Tropic-hird 



Phaethon americanus Grant. Brit. Orn. Club Bui. Dec. 1897. 49: 24; 



Ibis Apr. 1898. p. 288 

 Phaethon flavirostris A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 112 



phd'ctlioii, Gr. & Lat., son of Helios, or the Sun; americd'nns, of America 



Description. White; stripe through the eye, oblique wing bands, 

 flank stripes and tail shafts black; bill and feet yellow, toes black. Young: 

 similar, but marked with black bars and crescents. 



Wing 7 inches; tail 16-21 ; bill 2. 



A single specimen of this tropical species was captured near Knowles- 

 ville, Orleans co., N. Y., in September 1876. It was an immature bird 

 and was taken alive and finally preserved by Rev. J. H. Langille, who 



