138 PHAETHONTLD^. 



World undoubtedly occurs on the Atlantic coast, though its capture has not been 

 recorded within our limits. The specimen from the Gulf of Nicoya procured by Salvia 

 in 1870, and referred to this species, is considered by Mr. Ogilvie Grant to be an 

 immature P. cethereus. 



2. Fhaethon aethereus. 



Phaeton (Bthereus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 219'; Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. Bremen, 1870, p. 362'; 



Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 317 ' ; Goss, Auk, v. p. 244 *. 

 Phaethon mthereus, A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 39 ' ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. Birds 



Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 457'; Anthony, Auk, xv. pp. 314 ^ 316 ^ 317°; Nelson, N. Amer. 



Faun. no. 14, p. 28". 

 Phaeton flavirostris, Salv. Ibis, 1870, p. 116 (nee Brandt) ". 



Albus, notsBo crebre nigro fasciolato ; supracaudalibus hand externe fasciatis ; rectricibus 14, pure albis, 

 rhachidibus basin versus nigris ; tectricibus alarum albis, minimis et medianis plus minusve celatim nigro 

 sagittatis; secundariis iutimis nigris, albo utrinque marginatis; tectricibus primariorum et primariis 

 nigris, intus et ad apicem albis, remigibus reliquis albis, rhachidibus basin versos nigris ; pileo albo, 

 maotda anteorbitali et fascia lata supra regiouem paroticam nigris ; facie lateral! et corpore subtus toto 

 pure albis, hypochondriis fasciis latis nigris ornatis et interdum marmoratis ; subalaribus et axillaribus 

 albis : rostro Isete corallino ; pedibus et digitorum basi flavis, digitis aliter et unguibus nigris ; iride nigra. 

 Long, tota circa 41-0, alae 11-8, caudse 4-55, rectr. mad. 27-0, culm. 2-5, tarsi 1-2. (Descr. maris adulti 

 ex Ins. Anguilla. Mus. Brit.) 



Juv. adoltis similis, sad fasciis- transversalib us nigris latioribus et cauda abbreviata distinguendus. (Descr. 

 exempl. ex Xicoj-a. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Coasts of Tkopical America to as far north as Cape Colnett, Lower California, 

 on the Pacific side, occasionally on the Newfoundland Banks ^. — Reyillagigedo 

 Is., San Benedicte I. '^, Socorro I. ^, and Clarion I. ^ {Anthony) ; Mexico, 130 miles 

 off the west coast (Finsch -), Tres Marias Is., Isabel I., and rocky islets near 

 San Bias (J^elson ^^), coast of Michoacaji {Xantus ^) ; Salvador, Acajutla [Capt. 

 Bow ^) ; Costa Eica, Gulf of Nicoya {E. Arce i^). — West I>"dies, Anguilla I. 



This species is an inhabitant of the tropical portions of the Atlantic and Pacific 

 Oceans. It has been met with on some of the West-Indian Islands, and doubtless 

 \isits the Atlantic coasts of Central America, though at present we have no actual 

 record of its occurrence there. On the Pacific side this Tropic-bird is known to breed 

 on San Pedro Martir and other islands in the Gulf of California ^ ^, and Mr. Anthony 

 found it common on the Revillagigedo Islands "^ ^^. Mr. Nelson says that it breeds ou 

 Isabel Island, and in suitable places on rocky islets near San Bias and about the 

 Tres Marias ^^. Dr. Otto Finsch records a specimen as having been obtained at 

 sea 130 miles from the west coast of Mexico-. Arce sent us a young bird with 

 yellowish bill from the (.Tulf of Nicoya, which we at that time determined as 

 P. flavirostris ^^. 



The sitting-birds never attempt to fly away, but defend their eggs with great vigour 

 and loud cries, which Mr. Nelson describes as consisting of " a series of short, harsh 



