126 COMMON TROPIC-BIRD. 



From the tip of the beak to that of the tail, this 

 bird measures two feet ten inches : the beak is red : 

 the head, neck, and under parts of the body are 

 white : near the base of the upper mandible of the 

 beak arises a streak of black, which curves round the 

 upper part of the eye and ends a little way behind 

 it : the back, rump, and scapulars are white, striped 

 with black curved streaks : the lesser wing-coverts 

 are white, some of them transversely marked with 

 black : the greater quills are black with white edges : 

 the sides of the body, over the thighs are black, or 

 dusky, and white mixed : the tail is white, with the 

 exception of the two middle feathers, which are black 

 at the base ; the last feathers are about twenty inches 

 in length ; the next two about five inches and a half, 

 and the two outer feathers about half that length, pro- 

 ducing a cuneiform shape : the legs are dusky yellow : 

 claws black. 



This species varies in having its beak cinereous at 

 its base, the rest yellowish ; the general colour of the 

 plumage silvery white ; with the crescent over the 

 eye, and black markings on the scapulars : the legs 

 yellowish : the base of the toes the same : the rest of 

 their length, the webs, and claws black. Another 

 variety is mentioned, differing in having the plumage 

 of a yellowish white or cream colour, instead of being 

 pure silvery white. 



Inhabits various maritime countries within the 

 tropics, but nowhere so abundant as at Palmerstone 

 Island : they are said to perch on trees, and to lay 

 their eggs on the ground beneath them : they fly 

 very high, and stray to a very considerable distance 



