.MA.N-n- \V.\R IJIHDS. 97 



FAMILY FRKOATIDJE. MAN-O'-WAR BIRDS. 



Man-o'-war Bird>, or Frigate Bin!-, an- found throughout itit.-r- 

 il seas. One of the two known specie* occurs in America. They 

 are strictly maritime, anil, while sometimes ob<*rvrd at great di-lan<es 

 from the land, are met with in numbers only m-ar the coast*. They 

 hare a greater expanse of wing in proportion to tin- weight f tJu-ir 

 body than any other bird, ami in (tower of flight are nmirpMQcd. 

 They rarely alight I K " tnt ' water. but. facing the wind, |*ss hours 

 resting motionless on outstretched wings, sometimes ascending to 

 great heights and calmly soaring far above storms. It N when feed- 

 ing that their marvelous aerial powers are displayed to the Inwt advan- 

 tage. By swift, indescribably graceful darts they secure fish which 

 are near the surface or capture tho-c which have Imped from the water 

 to escape some enemy U-low. They also pursue (Julls and Terns, and, 

 forcing them to disgorge their prey, catch it in midair. As a rule they 

 are gregarious at all seasons, and nest and roost on bushes near the 

 shore. 



128. Fregata aquila (/.<"' . M\N ..'-WAK HIRI>; FKIUATK BnD. 



.. 1-V) All. X . Knt ire |>liuiiu!;e l>lm-k, mnrr ^ lousy alnve. 9. Siini- 

 Inr, l>ut lirowMrr; IWUHT win).'- .;. i.-h brown ; lrea>t iitul uj|-r Iwlly 



white, tin. Similar t<> the ? , but whole head and neek white. I.., 4<HX>; 

 W^ 85-00; T., 17-00; B. 



Kamjt. Tropical and Hubtropioal coasts generally; in Ameriea north to 

 Florida, Texas*, and California, and casually to Kansas, Ohio, and Nova Scotia, 



Long Inland. A. V.. one record. 



JV<u*, of sticks, in colonies, on bushes or rocks. K<j'j. one, chalky white, 

 2-65 x 



This species is not uncommon on the coasts of southern Florida, 

 but does not, so far as I know, nest there. It resembles other mem- 

 bers of the family in habits. 



ORDER ANSERES. LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS. 



FAMILY ANATID.S. DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 



The two hundred species included in this family are placed in the 

 five subfamilies. Menjinie or Mergansers, Anatim* or River Duek*. 

 a Ducks, Atutfi -<, and Ci/ynime or Swann. 



The characters given in the Key to Families should enable one to 

 easily refer a specimen to its proper group. These subfamilies are so 

 well defined that it seems advisable to treat of each one separately. 

 8 



