60 A MANUAL OF THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



with larger bills though smaller wing measurement with a very broad pale wing 

 band ; F. m. aldabrensis Mathews from the Seychelles, Aldabra, etc., in the West 

 Indian Ocean, with dark oil-green sheen, dark wing-coverts, larger size than typical, 

 about equal to last named form ; F. m. listen Mathews, type from Christmas Island, 

 East Indian Ocean, a very small form which has occurred in Western Australia ; 

 F. m. palmerstoni (Gmelin) from the Pacific Ocean, with which has been included 

 F. m. strumosa Hartert from Laysan, and to which the Torres Straits birds are at 

 present tentatively referred, with a narrow dark brown wing band and larger than 

 the preceding ; and F. m. ridgwayi Mathews from the Culpepper and Wenman Islands, 

 Galapagos Group, with brownish wing-bar and oily -green male breeding plumes, 

 short bill and same size as last. 



The only point at issue is the type locality of Gmelin 's P. minor, which must be 

 Jamaica as selected by Mathews. 



45. Fregata ariel. LESSER FRIGATE BIRD. 



Gould, Vol. VII., pi. 72 (pt. xxxv.), Dec. 1st, 1848. Mathews, Vol. IV., pt. 3, pi. 230, June 

 23rd, 1915. 



Atagen ariel Gray, Genera Birds, Vol. III., p. 669, pi. 183 (often 185), Jan. 1845 : Raine 

 Island, North Queensland. 



Fregata ariel tunnyi Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., pt. 6, p. 121, Dec. 19th, 1914: 

 Bedout Island, mid-West Australia. 



DISTRIBUTION. Tropical Northern Australia. 



Adult male. General coloration black, the under parts with a brownish tinge ; 

 the head with long narrow feathers showing a deep blue sheen, as do also the lanceo- 

 late breeding plumes on the back ; wing-coverts uniformly black ; a white patch on 

 each side of the body ; legs and feet black ; bill grey ; skin of throat red ; eyes and 

 eyelids black. Culmen 80 mm., wing 635, tail 270, middle toe 45. (Raine Island.) 



Adult female. Differs from the adult male in having the breast and sides of 

 breast buffy -white ; a chestnut collar on the lower hind -neck ; lesser and median 

 upper wing-coverts brown with whitish edges and blackish shaft-streaks, the long 

 scapulars brown at the ends ; bill bluish-horn ; iris brown ; eye rim and gular sac 

 red ; feet fleshy -red. Total length 800 mm. ; culmen 92, wing 565, tail 335, tarsus 

 23. (Bedout Island.) 



Immature with down adhering on under parts. Head, neck and throat deep rusty- 

 red ; back brown with lighter tips ; scapulars long, brownish-black ; primaries and 

 primary -coverts, bend of wing inside and out black ; secondary-coverts brown with 

 pale whitish tips ; breast downy, showing black feathers in the form of a band 

 across the lower-breast ; abdomen white ; under tail-coverts black ; tail black, 

 long and slightly forked ; bill and feet of a white colour with a shade of blue ; eyes 

 black. (Raine Island.) 



Nestling. Pure white down throughout save round eyes and fore-head, where 

 it is rusty -red ; gullet naked ; patch of brown feathers on back ; iris black ; legs 

 white. Born naked like young Gannets. 



Older birds are covered with white down, with a saddle-shaped band of dark grey 

 feathers across the back and scapular region. 



Nest. Of stalks of grass and Ipomcea, small twigs, etc. The average dimensions 

 of each nest were about one foot in height by a little more in diameter. 



Eggs. Clutch, one; pure white; very thin-shelled , with only a very slight 

 limy coating. Measurements 59.7-70.6 by 41-47.7 mm. 



Breeding -season. April, May. 



Distribution and forms. Principally Northern Australian seas, but also East 

 Indian Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean as a very rare breeder. F. ariel arid Gray, 

 from East Australia, breeding on Raine Island ; F. a. tunnyi Mathews, from West 



