THE WHITE TROPIC-BIRD. 225 



595. PHAETON FLAVIROSTRIS. 

 THE WHITE TROPIC-BIRD. 



Phaeton flavirostris, Brandt, Bull. Acad. Sc. St. Petersb. ii. p. 349 ; Hume, S. F. 

 ii. p. 323, v. p. 498, viii. p. 116; Penrose, Ibis, 1879, p. 277; Legye, Birds 

 Ceylon, p. 1172. Phaeton candidus (Briss.}, apud Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 850. 



Description. General colour of the plumage white; a large mark in 

 front of the eye, continued as a broad band down the sides of the head, 

 black ; the first four primaries with the outer web, the shaft and a narrow 

 portion of the inner web black to within an inch of the tip of the feathers j 

 the next few primaries more or less black on the basal portion of the shaft ; 

 a broad band along the median wing-coverts, the greater portion of the 

 tertiaries and the tips of the scapulars black ; shafts of the lengthened 

 central tail-feathers black, those of the others black on the basal two 

 thirds of their length only ; some of the upper tail-coverts with black 

 marks; the longer flank-feathers streaked with slate-colour; with the 

 above exceptions the whole plumage is white. 



Bill, in the dry specimen, pale yellow, with a pale plumbeous line along 

 the central portion of both mandibles ; tarsus and basal portion of foot 

 yellow ; remainder of foot black. 



Length 30 inches, tail 18, wing 10*6, tarsus "9, bill from gape 2*5. 



The above description is taken from four specimens in the British 

 Museum ; they are all in the same plumage and are of the same size. 



The White Tropic -bird was obtained by the late Col. Tytler at Ross 

 Island, one of the Andaman group, and it must consequently occur on or 

 near the Burmese coast*. 



It is found in the tropical seas of the whole world, and one of its breeding- 

 places is the island of Ascension. 



A specimen of this bird was captured at a considerable distance from 

 the sea in Cachar. 



* All sea-birds of wide range which have been recorded as occurring in the Bay of 

 Bengal must necessarily find a place in this work. 



VOL. II. 



