

PHAETHON J1THEBEUS. 



Phaeton athereus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12, p. 219 (1766). 



? Phaeton (an candidus?), Kittlitz, Mus. Senckenb. i. p. 123 (1834?). 



Phaethon cethereus, Brandt, Mem. Acad. Sc. St. Petersb. ser. 6, v. p. 257, tab. ii. (1839) ; Cassin, 



U.S. Expl. Exped. p. 394 (1858) ; G. R. Gray, Cat. B. Trop. Is. p. 60 (1859) ; Dole, Proc. 



Boston Soc. N. H. 1869, p. 308 ; id. Haw. Alman. 1879, p. 58 • Wiglesworth, Aves Polyn. 



p. 73 (1891) j Grant, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 457 



[The above citations refer chiefly to the Sandwich Islands and some other localities 

 in the Pacific Ocean. The list could easily be extended.] 



Little need be said of this well-known inhabitant of the tropics, which appears to be 

 common on all the Sandwich Islands. Mr. Dole records it in both of his lists, though 

 he furnishes no information as to where it was noticed, while Cassin does not give 

 it as occurring in the group in his account of the U.S. Exploring Expedition ; but 

 Mr. Rothschild has kindly sent a note in which he says that it was obtained by 

 Palmer, and Mr. Perkins states that he met with it on the cliffs round Honolulu and 

 elsewhere, breeding not uncommonly on the rocky ledges. It may also be found on 

 one or more of the outlying islands to the north-west. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Similar to P. rubricauda, but with white 

 median tail-feathers. 



Dimensions. — " Total length about 40 inches, culmen from feathers on forehead 

 2-4-2-6, wing 11-5-13, tail about 26, tarsus 1-15-1-2 " {Ogilvie Grant). 



2n2 



