THE 



WILSON BULLETIN 



NO. 95. 



A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY 

 VOL. XXVm JUNE, 1916 NO. 2 



OLD SERIES VOL. XXVIII. NEW SERIES VOL. XXIII. 



THE YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC-BIRD. 

 y^ {^Phacihon aiiiericaua.) 



BY KARL PLATH, CHICAGO, ILL. 



To observe this bird of elegant form and plumage, Ber- 

 muda offers the ideal locality. It breeds there abundantly 

 and is much in evidence from February to October. Locally 

 it is known as "Bo'sun bird" or "long-tail." 



The Bermudas are the most northern breeding ranges of 

 these birds and it is a common sight to see small flocks of 

 them gracefully wheeling in the air, uttering their cries of 

 "tik-tik," or "click-et-click-et." Occasionally, one will drop 

 in a spiral to the water, where it rests with tail erect, bobbing 

 like a cork. 



Their nesting sites may be found in varied localities from 

 Somerset Island, along the South Shore up to Castle Harbor 

 and also on the islands in Great Sound. They may be in holes 

 in the faces of cliffs, on flat ledges of rock, in the deep grass 

 which grows on some of the outer islands, in fissures or un- 

 der cedar-bushes. In fact, it may be said, that the Tropic- 

 Bird has more varied nesting places than any other bird. 

 Some writers claim that it also breeds in hollow trees, but 

 this does not apply to the Bermuda Tropic-Birds. The nests 

 have no lining and the one egg, which is about 1>2 x 2J4 

 inches, is alternately brooded by both parents, incubation last- 

 ing 28 days. 



