the Birds of Barbados. 501 



mandible of the adult male bird fades very soon after death. 

 The stomach of the bird shot by Mr. Pearson was full of 

 grass-seeds. 



71. Fregata AQUiLA (Linn.). Cobbler. 



The local name given I have heard applied to the 

 Frigate-bird in Barbados. It is included by Schomburgk in 

 his list^ and I have myself seen it floating over the island and 

 passing at a great height. Mr. Massiah shot one some years 

 ago at Chancery Lane. 



72. Pelecanus fuscus (Linn.). Pelecan. 



An irregular visitor, but sometimes^ as in 1886 and 1887, 

 appearing in flocks of hundreds. I saw two or three in the 

 island during 1888. Lieutenant R. E. Stuart, R.A., fired at 

 one near Needham's Point on the 27tli of October, 1888. 

 The Pere du Tertre, in his ' Natural History of the Antilles ' 

 (vol. ii. p. 271), mentions that a great mortality occurred 

 amongst these birds in the year 1656 during the month of 

 September, and that the shores of the islands of St. Lucia, 

 St. Vincent, Bequia, and the Grenadines were strewn with 

 their dead bodies. 



-,o j" SuLA suLA (Linn.). 



{: 



SuLA PiscATOR (Linn.). Booby. 

 I have seen Boobies outside Carlisle Bay, but as I was 

 unable to obtain a specimen for identification, I cannot say to 

 which of these species they belonged ; probably both occur. 

 Schomburgk includes both of them in his list. The shores of 

 the island do not seem to attract many sea-birds, I hardly ever 

 saw one close in-shore ; but the fishermen told me that when 

 out flying-fish catching, they are often surrounded by crowds 

 of Gulls, Boobies, Frigates, and Petrels, when from ten to 

 twenty miles from Barbados. Any resident interested in 

 adding to our knowledge of the ornithology of Barbados 

 should instruct the fishermen to bring in specimens of the 

 birds they meet with, and I am sure the list would be con- 

 siderably increased by so doing, or, better still, if he had the 

 fortitude, he should accompany the fishermen in their boats. 



