244 Roddy on Feeding Habits of Toung Raptores. [July 



Phaeton sethereus Linn. Red-billed Tropic Bird. 



The birds breed in holes and crevices on the sides of the steep 

 cliffs that often overhang the water ; many were inaccessible. I 

 was therefore able to reach and examine but few of their nesting 

 places. These were without material of any kind for a nest ; the 

 ^S& (for they lay but one) was upon the bare rock. In nearly 

 all, however, I found a young bird, about half grown ; from this 

 I think the birds begin to lay as early as the middle of February. 

 With the aid of the Indians, who are expert climbers, I was only 

 able to procure and save seven of their eggs. The ground color 

 is dull grayish white, rather finely and evenl}' sprinkled with deep 

 claret brown, generally thickest at large end, the specks running 

 largely together, giving the eggs a clouded or marbled look. In 

 form they are ovate. Measurements of the same, 2.31 X 1.71,2.40 

 X 1.72, 2.40 X 1.78, 2.26 X 1. 71, 2.49 X 1. 81, 2.40 X 1.69, 2.38 

 X 1. 68. When approached the birds within their homes do not 

 attempt to leave, but vigorously defend the same, striking and 

 biting with their strong, pointed, sharp-edged, jagged bills, 

 lacerating the ungloved hand that dares intrude, uttering at the 

 same time a loud, harsh, rapid che-che-che-che-che-che-c/ie, — 

 notes of defiance, and often heard in their rival flights. The birds 

 are very beautiful, and cannot fail to attract attention, especially 

 when in the air, by the peculiar rapid stroke of their wings and 

 graceful waving motion of their long whip-like tails. 



FEEDING HABITS OF SOME YOUNG RAPTORES. 



BY H. JUSTIN RODDY. 



All raptorial birds, whether juvenile or adult, eat large quan- 

 tities of food when it can be obtained. But they are able to 

 endure long fasts. Digestion is rapid, as is absorption. In from 

 one-half to one and a half hours after eating the stomach is empty, 

 as are also the greater part of the intestines. 



Young rapacious birds eat more than the adult birds, since 

 both sustenance and growth must be provided for. By careful 



