228 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMA H. 



themselves to the air, seldom or never swimming, and they hurl themselves 

 into the sea to capture fish or pursue other birds to compel them to abandon 

 their prey, which they immediately seize and eat. They breed on islands, 

 laying one or two white chalky eggs. 



In general appearance they resemble Eagles, the bill being very strong 

 and hooked. The tail is of great length and deeply forked. 



598. FREGATA MINOR. 



THE LESSER FRIGATE-BIRD. 



Pelecanus minor, Om. Syst. Nat. i. p. 572. Atagen ariel (Gould), G. ft. Gray, 

 Gen. Birds, iii. p. 669; Gould, B. Austr. vii. pi. 72. Attagen minor, David et 

 Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 534. Fregata minor, Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 364 ; Hume, 

 S. F. vii. p. 447, vi'ii. p. 116, ix. p. 119 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1203. 



Description. Adult. The whole plumage black ; the feathers of the 

 head, back and scapulars lanceolate and glossed with purple and lilac ; a 

 patch of white on the flanks. 



Length about 30 inches, tail 14, wing 21*5, tarsus about *6, bill from 

 gape 4'2. 



Another bird has the whole head and neck all round black ; the breast, 

 upper abdomen and the whole of the sides of the body white tinged with 

 rufous ; the white of the breast produced backwards to form a narrow, ill- 

 defined collar round the neck ; lower abdomen, vent and under tail- 

 coverts black ; the quills, tail, median and greater coverts, back, scapulars 

 and rump deep black, the head and back slightly iridescent ; the lesser 

 wing-coverts pale brown margined with whitish. Wing 21 inches, tail 12. 



What I consider to be a still younger bird has the whole head and neck 

 rufescent ; the breast pale brown ; the abdomen and sides of the body 

 glossy dark brown ; lower abdomen white ; thighs and under tail-coverts 

 dark brown ; quills and tail deep black ; lesser wing-coverts brown broadly 

 edged paler ; remainder of the upper plumage blackish, some of the old 

 feathers of the back being still present and brown in colour. Wing 21*5 

 inches, tail 13. 



The above is the description of three specimens in the British Museum. 

 The smaller size appears to be sufficient to separate this species from the 

 preceding ; it has in addition a patch of white on the flanks ; the feet are 

 rather more webbed and the tail less forked. 



The three specimens before me clearly show that the pouch increases in 

 size according to age. By increasing in size I mean that it becomes more 

 denuded of feathers, and therefore more conspicuous. The youngest bird, 

 with the rufous head, has merely a narrow naked streak down the throat ; 



