224 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BUEMAH. 
Order VIII. STEGANOPODES. 
Family PHAETHONTID^. 
Genus PHAETON, Linn. 
594. PHAETON RUBRICAUDA. 
THE BED -TAILED TROPIC-BIBD. 
Phaeton rubricauda, Bodd. Tahl. PI. Enl. p. 57 ; Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p, 849 ; Salvad. 
Ucc. Born. p. 370 ; Hume, S. F. ii. p. 322, viii. p. 116. Phaeton phcenicurus, 
Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 583; Gould, B. Austr. vii. pi. 73. Phaeton getherius, 
Bloxh, Voy. Blonde, App. p. 251. 
Description. — A black mark in front of and behind the eye black ; the 
whole plumage silky white ; the shafts of the primaries and tail-feathers 
black j the webs of the lengthened central tail-feathers red ; the centres 
of the long flank -feathers slate-coloiir ; most of the tertiaries with a long 
broad slaty- brown streak down the centre. 
Bill, in the dry specimen, yellow ; tarsus and about half an inch of the 
basal portion of the toes and webs yellow ; remainder of the foot black. 
Length 33 inches, tail 19, wing 13*2, tarsus 1*2, bill from gape 3*2. 
The description is taken from specimens in the British Museum col- 
lected in Australia. There are only three specimens, but they are all in 
exactly the same plumage. Mr. Hume's description of a bird shot in the 
Bay of Bengal agrees well with these birds. 
Dr. Jerdon states that this bird is frequently seen in the Bay of Bengal, 
and Mr. Hume secured a specimen in these waters. 
The Red- tailed Tropic-bird occurs in the tropical portions of the Indian 
and Pacific Oceans. 
The Tropic-birds are of very graceful form, and more or less white in 
colour. They live in the air, flying about like Terns, and catching fish by 
plunging down upon them. They breed on islands, laying a single egg in 
a hole in a cliff, or even in a hole in the ground. The egg is reddish grey, 
marked with reddish brown. 
