54 Mr. R. Swinhoe on Amoy Ornithology. 



As I had supposed, the stranger proved to be a Frigate-bird, 

 but from its small size and bluish bill certainly not Tachypetes 

 aquilus (L.). Its eyes were uniform blackish or deep hazel- 

 brown, bright, but not over sharp. The stupid look of the bill 

 detracted from the knowingness of the eye. It snapped with a 

 double clatter of the mandibles, like an Albatros, and uttered, 

 when touched, a continued hoarse and angry cry. It flapped 

 about to the danger of destroying its quills against the hard 

 tiles; and was wild, cross, and bad-tempered. I put it out of 

 pain, and was surprised to find how immediately it died on 

 compressing the ribs against the heart, which is by no means 

 the case with most sea-birds. 



Bill from forehead 3'4 in., from gape to tip of lower mandible 

 4 inches ; total length 28 inches. Tail of twelve feathers 12*75 

 in., depth of fork 5*7. Wing 20*5, its tip when closed all but 

 reaching that of the tail. Expanse 69 inches. The bare throat- 

 skin extends from the feathers on the base of the lower mandible 

 down the breast 2*75 in. Breadth between crura of lower man- 

 dible at base "583 in. Breadth of bill across forehead l*i in. 

 Depth at base '8. The occipital angle of the eye is just behind 

 the line of the rictus, its axis inclined about 25° towards the 

 mouth, its diameter nearly '5 in. Bill french-grey, with whitish 

 yellow-tinged dertrum tipped with blackish. The tongue is a 

 short irregular triangle, about '5 in. long by "32, blunt at the 

 tip. Inside of mouth bluish-grey. The rugose throat-skin bluish- 

 grey, tinged with a little pink. Eyelids and bare skin just 

 above them light bluish-grey tinged with yellow. Ear well 

 behind the eye, a little above the level of the rictus, about '22 in. 

 wide. 



Head, neck, and upper part of the breast white, blotched with 

 burnt-sienna red, more deeply on the latter. A band from the 

 axillaries across the belly, and extending behind the legs, pure 

 white. Mantle brown, sprinkled with blackish feathers, showing 

 immaturity. Lesser winig-coverts and a few tertials brown, black- 

 ish in the middle, and broadly edged with white in some, and 

 whity-brown in others. The down on the basal half of the 

 feathers white. General plumage deep brownish-black. Feet 

 light flesh-colour, tinged along the toes with grey. Middle claw 



