50 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



birds, tie says, frequent the rocky parts of hillsides, and, flitting about 

 like swallows, they catch very minute insects. 



Dr. Kidder remarks that he never succeeded in finding the egg, 

 but learned from Rev. Mr. Eaton, who found one on Thumb Mountain 

 December 8, that this species nested under large rocks not far from 

 the beach. The egg found was white. 



The species was supposed to nest among and under the rocks, 

 habitually, at considerable elevation above the sea. 



112. Phaethon flavirostris BRANDT. [654.] 



Yellow-billed Tropic Bird. 



Hab. Tropical and sub-tropical coasts of America north to Florida. 



In appearance this bird resembles a large tern ; the principal ex- 

 ternal peculiarity is its long middle tail-feathers ; the general color of 

 the plumage is white, tinged with salmon. Its habits are similar to 

 those of the terns. 



It is inter-tropical in its distribution, of a wandering disposition, 

 breeding on the islands of mid-ocean thousands of miles apart. The 

 bird is noted for its elegant, airy and long-protracted flight. On St. 

 Bourdon, Mauritius and other islands east and south of Madagascar, 

 this species breeds in the crevices of the rocks of unaccessible cliffs, 

 and in hollow trees. In the Bermuda Islands it nests about the first 

 of May in holes in high rocky places along the shores. Here its favor- 

 ite resorts are the small islands of Great Sound, Castle Harbor and 

 Harrington Sound. The Phaeton, as this bird is called, breeds in the 

 Bahamas in holes in the perpendicular faces of cliffs and also on the 

 flat surfaces of rocks. A single egg is laid, which has a ground-color 

 of purplish brownish white, covered in some specimens almost over 

 the entire surface with fine reddish chocolate-colored spots ; in some 

 specimens this coloring approaches blackness. The average size of 

 the eggs is 2.21x1.54. 



113. Phaethon aethereus LINN. [655.] 



Red-billed Tropic Bird. 



Hab. Coast of tropical America, north on the Pacific coast to Lower California. 



The Red-billed Tropic Bird occurs along the Pacific coast of 

 South America, in the West Indies, and as far north as Cape St. 

 I/ticas. In one instance it is said to have straggled to Newfoundland. 

 Breeds on the various islands off the coast of Mexico. Its breeding 

 habits are said to be like those of the Yellow-billed species. 



The eggs are creamy-white, with a purplish tinge, marked with 

 fine dots of chestnut-brown. The sizes vary from 2.20 to 2.37 in length 

 by 1.55 to 1.70 in breadth. 



