BIRDS. 249 



feathers of each wing, and two of the tail-feathers, dull- 

 brown ; a narrow line of black, and a second of white 

 plumage on the upper eye-lid. Beak and legs black. 

 Entire length ten inches ; spread of wings eighteen. 

 Flutters in its flight, and seeks a resting-place after 

 sunset, usually alighting on a ship's rigging when at 

 sea. Feeds on crabs and small fish. The presence of 

 this bird is regarded by sailors as a sure indication of 

 land. 



Habitat. Christmas Island, and other low coral for- 

 mations of the Pacific. 



THE BOOBY. 

 (Pelicanus Sula, fyc.) 



From observations made during this and previous 

 voyages, I am induced to believe that there are many 

 more species of the small Pelican, commonly called the 

 Booby, than have been accurately described by our best 

 ornithological authors. It would be tedious to describe 

 minutely the various kinds we noticed, and perhaps 

 presumptuous to assign them new specific names : I 

 shall therefore mention them briefly, and describe only 

 their principal distinguishing features. 



The common Booby (P. suld) measures about two 

 feet two inches in length, and four and a half across 

 the expanded wings. Its plumage is light-brown, 

 abdomen white.* Naked integuments of the face and 

 chin blue. Beak pink, its extremity dark-brown. Legs 

 brick-red. Iris yellow. The tail is pointed, the two 

 central feathers being the longest. The middle claw of 

 the foot is serrated. 



Example B. Taken in lat. 16 N., Pacific Ocean. 



* The "rrnent of the young bird is uniformly brown. 



