TOTJPALMATE SWIMMERS 



113. RED-BILLED TROPIC BIRD. Phcethon cethereus. 



Range. Tropical seas, chiefly in the Pacific Ocean; north to southern 



California. 



They breed on several islands in the Gulf of California. This species differs 



from the preceding in having a red bill, and the back being barred with black. 



Their plumage has a peculiar satiny appearance and is quite dazzling when 



viewed in the sunlight. They 

 are strong fliers and are met 

 with, hundreds of miles from 

 land. They often rest upon the 

 water, elevating their long tails 

 to keep them from getting wet. 

 They nest, as do the preceding 

 species, on rocky islands and 

 are said to also build their nests 

 in trees or upon the ground. 

 The single egg that they lay 

 has a creamy ground and is mi- 

 nutely dotted with chestnut. 

 Pale purplish size 2.40 x 1.55. Data. Daphone 



Is., Galapagos Is., South Pacific, March 6, 1901. Egg laid in hole of a sea cliff. 



The eggs are easily told from those of the yellow-billed by their much larger 



size. Collector, R. H. Beck. 



[113.1] RED-TAILED TROPIC BIRD. Phcethon rubricaudus. 



Range. Tropical regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, accidental off 



the coast of Lower California. 



This is a singularly beautiful species resembling the latter except that the 



central tail feathers are bright red, with the extreme tips white. During 



August and September they 

 breed in large colonies on 

 small islands in the South 

 Seas. On Mauritius Island 

 they build their nests either 

 in the trees or place them on 

 the ground; the nest is made 

 of seaweed, sticks and weeds; 

 numbers of them nest on 



.*'.>* "*. f JK32WHB^^^V Laysan Is., of the Hawaiian 



group, concealing their nests 

 on the ground under over- 

 hanging brush. 



The single egg has a pale 

 purplish ground speckled 

 with brown. 



Pale purplish ground color 



73 



