456 



The Living Animals of the World 



FKIGATE-BIRDS are remarkable in more ways than one. To begin with, their general appear- 

 ance may be described as that of a small, long-winged, fork-tailed albatross, mounted upon 

 particularly diminutive legs, so short as to do little more than raise the body off the ground. 

 Their flight is wonderfully graceful, and capable of being sustained for considerable periods; 

 for, like the gannets, they pass most of their time on the wing. They feed upon surface-fish, 

 which they capture from the surface of the water without alighting, or upon fish which they 

 take from the gannets of the neighbourhood. 



Frigate-birds build their nests in trees, on low bushes, or on the ground, and sometimes 

 upon ledges of precipitous cliffs. The nest is a loose structure composed of sticks, and its 

 construction is accompanied by much pilfering from one another. Only a single egg is ]aid. 



About the beginning of January the male acquires a very remarkable pouch of brilliant 

 scarlet skin, which hangs beneath the beak. Frigate-birds are found all over the world within 

 the tropics. 



The TROPIC-BIRDS, or BOATSWAIN-BIRDS, as they are sometimes called, are more like gulls 

 or the heavier species of terns in general appearance, and in no way resemble superficially 

 the forms with which they are associated, save in the fact that all the toes are enclosed in 

 the same web. A study of their anatomy, however, leaves little doubt that these birds are 

 really members of the Pelican Tribe. 



Either pure white, relieved with black, or of a beautiful apricot-yellow, with similar black 

 markings, with a powerful bill and long tapering tail, the tropic-bird is one of the most 

 beautiful of sea-birds. There are altogether about six species of tropic-birds, distributed over 

 the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They nest in hollows of cliffs or holes in trees, and lay a 

 single egg, which bears some resemblance to that of a kestrel. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



SCREAMERS, DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 



T71AMILTAR as are most of our readers 

 _|J with all save the first mentioned of 

 these birds, yet few probably suspect 

 how great a wealth of forms this group 

 displays. All are more or less aquatic in 

 their habits, of heavy build, with long necks 

 and small heads, short legs, and short wings 

 and tails. The young are hatched covered 

 with a peculiar kind of down, which more 

 nearly resembles that of the Ostrich Tribe 

 than the down of other birds, and they run 

 about or accompany their parents to the 

 water either immediately or a few hours 

 after hatching. Several species have become 

 domesticated, and in some cases have given 

 rise to peculiar breeds, whilst many are much 

 in demand for the purpose of enlivening 

 ornamental waters. 



The least-known members of the group 

 are the very remarkable and extremely interest- 

 ing SCREAMERS of South America, of which 

 there are three species. These are large birds, 

 presenting some resemblances to the Game- 

 birds on the one hand and the Geese on the 



Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.} 



[Regent's Park. 



CRESTED SCREAMER, OR CHAKA. 



The Crested and Horned Screamers are the only members of the family 

 without webbed feet. 



