134 



^ Af ERICA N ORNl THOL OGY. 



YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC BIRD. 



A. O. 1/. /<fo. 112. {Thaeton fta-oirojlrij.) 



RANGE. 



From Florida and the Bermudas southwards. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, about 28 in.; extent, about 36 in.; tail, 16 in. Eye, brown. 

 Bill and feet, yellow. Toes, black. 



Adults. — White tinged with rosy on the under parts and the lengthened 

 tail feathers. There is a black crescent before the eye and continuing 

 through it. A black band crosses the wing coverts and the inner second- 

 aries. The inner webs of the outer primaries are black. The two middle 

 tail feathers are lengthened. 



NEST AND EGGS 



The eggs are generally laid on the bare rock in holes or crevices in the 

 cliffs. Sometimes moss and a few sticks are gathered together, butoftener 

 there is no nest at all. The single egg has a white ground, but this is 

 generally concealed by the numerous spots of chocolate brown. 



YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC BIRD NEST. 



Photo by A. H. Verrill. 



