56 Mr. R. Svvinhoe on Amoy Ornithology. 



slimy, soft epithelium, which runs also into the proventriculus — 

 or rather a true epithelium is absent. It contained half- digested 

 remains of fish in the stomach, as well as throughout the pro- 

 ventriculus and the greater part of oesophagus, many Ascarides 

 like small Lumbrici, about 1"5 inch long by -1 in. at thickest, 

 pointed at both ends, whity-brown, marked in some with lines 

 of deep brown, probably the food showing through the skin. 

 They were very lively, and lived an entire day and night in cold 

 water. When placed on the table they moved by drawing head 

 and tail together, and so making small leaps. They seemed to 

 have no retractile power. I have sent my specimens of both 

 these worms to Dr. Cobbold, and I trust therefore that their 

 names may be added to this paper *. 



From its small size this bird would appear to be 7'achypetes 

 minor (Gm.), and from the bluish bill, as figured in the plate re- 

 presenting the species in the 'Genera of Birds,^ I should think 

 it very probable that ours is the same. That plate, however, 

 gives the tip of the bill and the throat yellow, and a bare skin 

 round the eye. These may all be assumed by the species in its 

 progress to maturity. I suppose the example there figured is not 

 quite mature, as it possesses the white ventral band. As regards 

 the drawing, I would notice that the eye is not correct. The eye 

 of this species, like that of Diomedea, shows no distinct pupil. 

 Authors, I see, compare it to that of an Eagle, but, I suppose, on 

 the grounds of fancy and sentiment. The only description of 

 the Lesser Frigate-bird that I have at hand is that contained in 

 Bonaparte's 'Conspectus' (vol. ii. p. 109), wherein it is curtly 

 diagnosed as eomiug from Australia, and being like T. aquilus 

 " sed valde minor," — from which it would appear that Bonaparte 

 had never seen the smaller species ; for he speaks of the larger one 

 as " niffro -cor acinus ; rostro, gula, pedibusque rubris." The adult 

 he further characterizes as " unicolor, splendens ; plumis capitis 



* [In answer to our application, Dr. Cobbold -has been kind enough to 

 write : — " Mr. Swinlioe sends me two kinds of Nematode parasites. Those 

 from the oesophagus are examples of Ascaris sinculigcra, a common Ento- 

 zoon, already found by Natterer in a Frigate-bird taken off the coast of 

 Brazil ; but the others ai-e apparently referable to a new species of Stron- 

 yylus. At present I have not had time to examine them minutely." — Ed.] 



