PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 195 



" One pointed out to me as the Black Hawk bad the shape and appear- 

 ance of the Black Vulture (Cathartes atratus) ; the short tail and pecu- 

 liar flight. This not according with my observations of the hawk pre- 

 viously, in the forest, leads me to think that it was C. atratus. If so, it 

 is the first seen. A 'Black Hawk 7 I had before seen had all the appear- 

 ance of the American Duck Hawk. They breed on a shelf of some 

 high cliff." 



The single specimen sent is immature, but it does not agree satisfac- 

 torily with a Mexican example of U. aniliracina, in a somewhat similar 

 stage of plumage, and if U. gundlachi inhabiting Cuba is a distinct 

 species, a comparison with that will be necessary to determine its true 

 position. 



It is (though a male) rather larger, and apparently stouter, with a 

 shorter wing than the specimen from Mexico, which is a female; it is 

 blacker, with the bands on the tail less in number and double the width 

 of those on the tail of the Mexican bird ; but there is probably a differ- 

 ence of age, and, without precise knowledge on this point, a comparison 

 is unsatisfactory. 



The specimen alluded to by Mr. Ober as having been sent to the 

 Zoological Society of London is doubtless the one spoken of by Mr. J. 

 H. Gurney (Ibis, 1876, p. 487); he says: — "I may also mention that a 

 specimen of U. anthracina from the islaud of St. Yincent is now living 

 iu the Gardens of the Zoological Society ; this example was in immature 

 dress when it arrived at the Gardens, but is now in full plumage, with 

 the exception of a slight tinge of rufous brown on the back and sides of 

 the head, and also on the tertials," etc. 



On page 488 he also remarks :— " The TTrubitinga found in Cuba was 

 erected into a distinct species by Cabanis, who assigned to it the specific 

 name of gundlachi (vide Journ. itir Orn. 1854, p. 80); this, however, is 

 treated by Mr. Sharpeas a synonym of Z7. anthracina, whether correctly 

 or not I cannot say, as I have never seen a Urubitinga from Cuba," etc. 



Fam. FREGrATIDiE. 



34. Fregata aquila (Linn.). 



U A common sight is that of the 4 Man-o'war Bird 7 flying high above 

 the water. It breeds in numbers on the island of Balliceaux, 15 miles 

 distant from St. Vincent." 



Fam. PHiETHONIDiE. 



35. Phaethon sethereus, Linn. 



" Length,.?, 37 in.; alar extent, 38 : wing, 12J. 



M Breeds in the cliffs on the Leeward coast ; habits, etc., same as the 

 Dominica bird. I found this species in great numbers, at Balliceaux, a 

 small key near St. Vincent ; fouud a young bird and one egg ; they 

 breed later in the season." 



