BLACK-BILLED TROPIC-BIRD. 127 



from land; they attack and prey upon the flying- 

 fish. 



The natives of Otaheite, and of other islands in 

 the South Seas, search diligently after the long tail- 

 feathers, which they use to ornament their dresses. 



BLACK-BILLED TROPIC-BIRD. 



(Phaeton melanorhynchos.) 



Ph. albo nigroque striatus subtus Jronteque albus, tcenia ante 

 poneque oculos, rosti-o pcdibusque nigris. 



Tropic-bird striped with white and black, beneath and the fore- 

 head white, with a broad band before and behind the eyes, the 

 beak and legs black. 



Phaeton melanorhynchus. Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1.582. Lath.Ind. 

 Orn. 2. 894. 



Black-billed Tropic-bird. Lath. Gen. Syn. 6. 619. Lath. Gen. 

 Hist. x. 446. 



Young? — New Holland Tropic-bird. Lath. Gen. Hist. x. 448. 



This is nineteen inches and a half in length : beak 

 black : the plumage on the upper part of the body 

 and wings irregularly streaked with black and white : 

 before the eye a strip or crescent of black, and be- 

 hind a streak of the same : the quills and tail are 

 marked similarly to the upper parts of the plumage ; 

 the former has the tips white, and the latter has them 

 dusky black : the forehead and all the under parts of 

 the body are pure white : the sides over the thighs 



