TROPIC-BIRDS 



(112) Phaethon americanus 



{Grant) (Gr., to shine; Lat., American). 



YELLOW - BILLED TROPIC - 

 BIRD. Bill stout, tern-like, yellow. 

 Middle tail feathers greatly length- 

 ened. Feet totipalmate. Ad. — Plum- 

 age as shown. Young birds are simi- 

 lar but extensively barred with black 

 on the back and with spots on the 

 tail. L., about 36.00, including the 

 middle tail feathers, which alone 

 measure 18.00-20.00; W., 11.00; B., 

 2.00, depth at base .75; Tar., i.oo. 

 Ncsl — Of seaweed and grass on 

 rocky ledges; one cream-colored egg, 

 finely dotted with purplish-chestnut. 



Range — Breeds in Bermuda and 

 southward; casual off our coast. 



(113) RED-BILLED TROPIC- 

 BIRD (Phaethon a;thereus). A trop- 

 ical species- accidental off Newfound- 

 land. 



ting about fishing boats for the fish-livers or other scraps 

 that are sure to be thrown to them. 



Order STEGANOPODES. Totipalmate Swimmers 



An Order comprising several Families, agreeing ex- 

 ternally in having all four toes connected by webs and all 

 except the Tropic-birds having naked gular sacs or pouches. 



Family PHAETHONTID^. Tropic-Birds 



But one member of this family, the YELLOW-BILLED 

 TROPIC-BIRD, regularly occurs on our southeastern 

 coast. They do not breed on our shores, but in Bermuda, 

 where they are strictly protected, thousands of them nest 

 on the sea-cliffs, sometimes making a nest of seaweed for 

 their single egg and again laying it upon the bare rock; 

 usually, however, they are back in some recess or crevice 

 out of sight. Their food consists of snails that they get 

 from the ledges and beaches and fish which they catch by div- 



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