130 TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS — STEGANOPODES. 



Mr. Salvin visited one of the breeding-places of this species, among some islands, 

 on the coast of Honduras, called " Man-of-War Keys." On his approach the birds 

 rose up in a cloud, and hung over the Key, like Rooks over a rookery. He describes 

 their manner of hovering as being apparently unattended by any ett'ort, and declares 

 that no Eagle flies with the same ease as the Frigate-bird. He found this bird nesting 

 on the highest mangroves on the island. Three fourths of the nests contained young 

 of various ages, the youngest looking like puff-balls of pure white ; while those which 

 had just escaped from the shell were lying helpless on the frail structure of sticks 

 composing the nests. These are so slightly built that the young, in their earliest 

 infancy, must be in great peril. Where the eggs were still unhatched, the birds 

 could hardly be driven from them. This reluctance on the part of such birds as 

 build an open nest to leave their eggs exposed to the direct rays of a tropical sun, 

 Mr. Salvin had previously noticed ; but on cloudy days the same solicitude is not 

 manifested ; and it always seemed to be in proportion to the age of the offspring, or 

 the degree of development of the embryo. 



The Frigate Pelican is a great wanderer, and has been met with on the southern 

 coasts of Europe and on those of Africa. Mr. J. C. Melliss (" Ibis," 1870) states that 

 this species is known formerly to have frequented the landing-steps at Jamestown, 

 on the Island of St. Helena, and to have bred on a portion of the southwest coast of 

 that island, at a locality known as the Man-of-War's Roost. It is now seldom met 

 with in that region. Mr. E. L. Layard, in a letter to the " Ibis " (1871), also men- 

 tions that in his voyage to South Africa, while steaming from St. Helena to Ascension, 

 a Frigate-bird paid great attention to the dog-vane of the foremast head, and suc- 

 ceeded in tearing away half the bunting. It being Sunday, the bird was not interfered 

 with. 



In the Atlantic this bird occasionally wanders to the Bermudas. Major Wedder- 

 burn mentions the occurrence of an individual there, Sept. 27, 1848. A large Frigate- 

 bird had been observed soaring about in the clock-yard at Ireland Island, and it finally 

 flew into one of the barrack-rooms of the Royal Artillerj^, thus making its escape for 

 the time. But it was shot eventually ; and three days later another was secured. 

 This was when a strong easterly gale had been blowing for some time. Two other 

 instances of its capture in Bermuda are on record. 



This species also occurs, as an irregular visitor, on the Pacific coast, as far north 

 as San Francisco. Dr. Cooper was informed of a single example shot at San Diego. 

 It had entered the Bay, and alighted on the mast of an old hulk anchored there. He 

 Avas also told by others that this bird is common at some seasons outside of the Bay. 

 The skull of an individvial of this species was obtained at the Farallones by Mr. 

 Gruber. 



Both Colonel Grayson and Mr. Bischoff met with the Frigate-bird oft' Mazatlan, in 

 Western Mexico ; and the former found it breeding in large numbers on the Island of 

 Isabella. There was only one egg in each nest, and that was pure white, and nearly 

 the size of that of the Common Goose. 



Mr. Gosse visited a large roosting-place of this species near Bluefields, Jamaica. 

 At most hours of the day the birds might be seen resting, in large numbers, on lofty 

 trees, or else soaring and circling round and round over the place. In their size and 

 color, in the graceful freedom of their motions, and in the sublimity of the elevation 

 attained by them in their flight, they might bo confounded Avith the Turkey Vulture, 

 but for the curvature of their wings, their long-pointed tail, often opened and closed, 

 and the superior elegance of their form. When about to alight, the Frigate-bird some- 

 times cackles ; but it is generally silent. Mr. Gosse never saAV it attack the Booby for 



