THE BIRDS OF THE BERMUDAS. 487 
flew close over my head one morning, but I had not my gun in my 
hand at the moment. [One was shot. at Basden’s Pond, by Lieut. 
Tallents, of the 20th Regiment, in the autumn of 1875.—H. D.] 
Tachypetes aquilus, Frigate Bird; Man-of-War Bird.—Two 
were obtained at Ireland Island, on the 27th and 30th September, 
1848, respectively, by Major Wedderburn. One was shot by 
Capt. Clutterbuck, of the 56th Regiment, on September 30th, 1852, 
and another by Capt. Tolcher, of the same Regiment, on April 2nd, 
1854. Mr. Bartram has two specimens in his collection, obtained 
by himself. 
Phaéton flavirostris, Tropic-bird—The geographical distri- 
bution of the three known species of Tropic-bird, P. ethereus, 
P. flavirosiris, and P. rubricauda, seems not yet well defined, and 
no doubt their extensive wanderings will render any attempt at 
precise limitation extremely difficult, certainly until we are in pos- 
session of a larger series of observations than at present. P. flavi- 
rostris (the “ Boatswain-bird” or “ Long-tail” of the Bermudas) is 
a familiar and abundant summer visitor to the islands, arriving at 
the end of February or beginning of March, and departing early in 
October. It is also recorded on the southern shores of Cuba, but 
I cannot make out any other regular locality for it. Where it goes 
to in winter is not, I believe, satisfactorily determined, though it 
may be taken for granted that the movement is in a southerly 
direction from Bermuda and Cuba. An occasional straggler is 
said to have been seen in Bermudian waters in winter time, 
presumably an early arrival, or backward young bird left behind. 
One was shot as far north as the coast of Nova Scotia, after a 
violent gale from the south, on the 4th September, 1870. I saw 
this bird in the Halifax Museum. The excellent accounts of the 
habits and nidification of this species given by Mr. Hurdis and 
Major Wedderburn have left me but little to say. The single egg, 
which in colouring is not unlike that of our Kestrel, is deposited in 
holes in the rocks, always in those which have a flooring of sand, 
preference being given to steep and overhanging cliffs on the south 
shore and the islands about Castle Harbour. A few pairs nest on 
the northern shore, where the cliffs are much lower. Sometimes 
one can see the sitting bird’s long tail-feathers protruding from 
the nest; while in another case the nest may be so far in, hori- 
zontally, that one can only tell there is one by the harsh grating cry 
of the disturbed occupant. Both male and female sit, fighting 
