226 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



596, PHAETON INDICUS. 



THE SHORT-TAILED TROPIC-BIRD. 



Phaeton aetherius (Linn.}, apud Hume, S. F. i. p. 286, ii. p. 323. Phaeton indi- 

 cus, Hume, S. F. iv. p. 481 ; Sutler, S. F. v. p. 302 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. 

 p. 493; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 116 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1173. 



Description. A broad conspicuous black crescent in front of the eye 

 and a narrow black line from the gape to nostrils and nostrils to culmen, 

 dividing the feathers from bill; the whole forehead and front part of 

 the crown, ear-coverts and entire lower parts, including wing-lining and 

 axillaries, pure white, the lower parts of the body glistening like white 

 satin ; a black line from the posterior angle of the eye, running round the 

 back of the nape, where it forms a more or less conspicuous half- collar. 

 The hinder portion of the crown and nape inside the half-collar white, 

 each feather with a triangular black bar near the tips, in a great measure 

 concealed by the overlapping of the tips of the feathers ; the carpal joint 

 of the wing, the four or five posterior primaries, the whole of the secon- 

 daries, the primary- co verts except those of the first five quills, the secondary, 

 greater and median coverts pure white ; the winglet, the greater coverts 

 of the first five primaries, the outer webs of the first five primaries, together 

 with a narrow stripe along the shaft on the inner web, black ; the extreme 

 tips and the inner webs of these feathers white ; the tertials and their 

 greater coverts black, narrowly margined on the exterior webs and tipped 

 with white ; the lesser secondary coverts similar ; the entire back, scapulars, 

 rump and upper tail-coverts white, regularly and closely barred with black, 

 the bars being slightly cuspidate on the upper back, and the longest 

 scapulars being almost devoid of barring, though this is not seen till the 

 feathers are lifted. The shafts of the first five primaries are entirely black, 

 those of the subsequent ones black on their basal portion. The tail- 

 feathers white, the basal portions black- shafted, and the lateral tail-feathers 

 mostly with an arrowhead bar or spot near the tip. The female is pre- 

 cisely similar to the male. (Hume.} 



Irides deep brown; legs and hallux and its web, and basal joint of other 

 toes white, tinged bluish and creamy yellow ; rest of feet and claws black ; 

 bill dull orange-red ; margins of both mandibles, nostrils and tips dusky. 

 (Hume.) 



Length about 21 inches, tail up to 10' 3, wing up to 11*8, tarsus I'l, 

 bill from gape 3 '4. 



I have not been able to examine a specimen of this species. 



The Short-tailed Tropic-bird was observed by Mr. Davison off the coast 

 at the extreme southern point of Tenasserim, and also off Cape Negrais. 



This species has been observed in various parts of the Indian Ocean 

 north of the Equator, and it probably has a very extensive range. 



