FRIGATE-BIRDS 



33* 



seizes the throat of its victim with its pincers-like beak to make it disgorge ; and 

 no sooner is a fish ejected from the crop than the frigate-bird swoops down with 

 such velocity as to seize and pouch it before it can touch the water. On the shores 

 of Christmas Island numbers of frigate-birds may be seen awaiting the return of 

 the gannets from their fishing-grounds; the gannets, in order to avoid their 

 enemies, fly low and endeavour to gain the shelter of the trees, but two or three 

 fri o-ate-bircis will combine in the pursuit, and thus cut them off, in spite of 

 doublings, from this harbour of refuge. The nest, for which most of the material 



greater frigate-bird (Immature Male). 



is obtained by robbery, consists of a rude structure of twigs on 

 the bough of a tree, but sometimes the nursery of a gannet is 

 annexed. The eggs — one to each female— are mostly laid in 

 February or March, but nestlings in down may be met with so 

 late as August. According to an Australian naturalist, frigate-birds are used in 

 the South Sea Islands as letter-carriers. If captured young, they will return, like 

 homing pigeons, to the island of their birth, and, taking advantage of this trait, the 

 missionaries forward such birds to islands with which they desire to hold com- 

 munication. When released from their new domicile, they fly straight to their old 

 home, where they alight on the identical perches on which they were accustomed 

 to be fed. 



