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  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  and 
  the 
  tropic-birds 
  and 
  frigate-birds 
  represented 
  by 
  accidental 
  wanderers. 
  

   The}" 
  are 
  all 
  altricial 
  or 
  nidicolous 
  in 
  nature. 
  The 
  eggs 
  are 
  single 
  or 
  few, 
  

   usually 
  plain 
  colored, 
  but 
  covered 
  with 
  a 
  chalky 
  incrustation. 
  They 
  build 
  

   their 
  nests 
  on 
  the 
  ground, 
  rocky 
  ledges, 
  or 
  brushy 
  trees 
  near 
  the 
  water, 
  

   and 
  are 
  wholly 
  carnivorous 
  in 
  diet, 
  the 
  food 
  consisting 
  almost 
  entirely 
  of 
  fish. 
  

  

  Family 
  PHA-^THONTIDAE 
  

  

  Tropic-birds 
  

  

  Bill 
  stout, 
  nearly 
  straight, 
  pointed, 
  the 
  two 
  mandibles 
  of 
  equal 
  length; 
  

   nostrils 
  distinct, 
  linear; 
  head 
  large; 
  neck 
  short; 
  gular 
  pouch 
  very 
  small 
  

   and 
  feathered; 
  tail 
  of 
  12 
  to 
  16 
  feathers, 
  the 
  two 
  middle 
  ones 
  in 
  the 
  adult, 
  

   plumelike 
  and 
  extremely 
  elongated 
  ; 
  wings 
  rather 
  long 
  and 
  pointed 
  ; 
  primaries 
  

   very 
  long; 
  feet 
  small 
  and 
  the 
  hind 
  toe 
  more 
  elevated 
  than 
  usual 
  in 
  this 
  

   order, 
  but 
  fully 
  webbed; 
  plumage 
  satiny, 
  mostly 
  white. 
  

  

  The 
  tropic-birds 
  are 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  warmer 
  seas, 
  six 
  species 
  being 
  

   recognized, 
  three 
  of 
  which 
  reach 
  the 
  United 
  States. 
  They 
  resemble 
  terns 
  

   in 
  general 
  appearance, 
  are 
  gregarious 
  in 
  habit, 
  and 
  strong 
  and 
  swift 
  in 
  

   flight. 
  The}' 
  lay 
  a 
  single 
  egg 
  in 
  some 
  hole 
  in 
  the 
  rockv 
  cliff. 
  The 
  egg, 
  like 
  

   many 
  features 
  of 
  the 
  family, 
  is 
  aberrant 
  for 
  this 
  order, 
  being 
  mostly 
  of 
  a 
  

   chocolate 
  color 
  like 
  a 
  kestrel's, 
  boldly 
  spotted 
  and 
  blotched 
  with 
  brown- 
  

   and 
  black. 
  

  

  Phaethon 
  americanus 
  Grant 
  

   Yellow-billed 
  Tropic-bird 
  

  

  Phaethon 
  americanus 
  Grant. 
  Brit. 
  Orn. 
  Club 
  Bui. 
  Dec. 
  1897. 
  49: 
  24; 
  

  

  Ibis 
  Apr. 
  1898. 
  p. 
  288 
  

   Phaethon 
  flavirostris 
  A. 
  O. 
  U. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  112 
  

  

  phd'ethon, 
  Gr. 
  & 
  Lat., 
  son 
  of 
  Helios, 
  or 
  the 
  Sun; 
  americd'niis, 
  of 
  America 
  

  

  Description. 
  White; 
  stripe 
  through 
  the 
  eye, 
  oblique 
  wing 
  bands, 
  

   flank 
  stripes 
  and 
  tail 
  shafts 
  black 
  ; 
  bill 
  and 
  feet 
  yellow, 
  toes 
  black. 
  Young: 
  

   similar, 
  but 
  marked 
  with 
  black 
  bars 
  and 
  crescents. 
  

  

  Wing 
  7 
  inches 
  ; 
  tail 
  1 
  6-2 
  1 
  ; 
  bill 
  2 
  . 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  specimen 
  of 
  this 
  tropical 
  species 
  was 
  captured 
  near 
  Knowles- 
  

   ville, 
  Orleans 
  co., 
  N. 
  Y., 
  in 
  September 
  1876. 
  It 
  was 
  an 
  immature 
  bird 
  

   and 
  was 
  taken 
  alive 
  and 
  finally 
  preserved 
  b}' 
  Rev. 
  J. 
  H. 
  Langille, 
  who 
  

  

  