226 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
596. PHAETON INDICUS. 
THE SHORT-TAILED TROPIC-BIRD. 
Phaeton aetherius (Linn.), apud Hume, S. F. i. p. 286, ii. p. 323. Phaeton indi- 
cus, Hume, 8. F. iv. p. 481 ; Butler, S. F. v. p. 302 ; Hume 6r Dav. S. F. vi. 
p. 493 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 116 ; Lei/ge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1173. 
Description. — A broad conspicuous black crescent in front of the eye 
and a narrow black line from the gape to nostrils and nostrils to culmen^ 
dividing the feathers from billj the whole forehead and front part of 
the crown_, ear-coverts and entire lower parts^ including wing-lining and 
axillaries_, pure white^ the lower parts of the body glistening like white 
satin ; a black line from the posterior angle of the eye_, running round the 
back of the nape^ where it forms a more or less conspicuous half- collar. 
The hinder portion of the crown and nape inside the half-collar white^ 
each feather with a triangular black bar near the tips^ in a great measure 
concealed by the overlapping of the tips of the feathers ; the carpal joint 
of the wing_, the four or five posterior primaries^ the whole of the secon- 
daries_, the primary- coverts except those of the first five quills, the secondary^ 
greater and median coverts pure white ; the winglet^ the greater coverts 
of the first fife primaries^ the outer webs of the first five primaries_, together 
with a narrow stripe along the shaft on the inner web_, black ; the extreme 
tips and the inner webs of these feathers white ; the tertials and their 
greater coverts blacky narrowly margined on the exterior webs and tipped 
with white ; the lesser secondary coverts similar ; the entire back_, scapular s_, 
rump and upper tail-coverts white^ regularly and closely barred with blacky 
the bars being slightly cuspidate on the upper back_, and the longest 
scapulars being almost devoid of barring, though this is not seen till the 
feathers are lifted. The shafts of the first five primaries are entirely blacky 
those of the subsequent ones black on their basal portion. The tail- 
feathers white_, the basal portions black- shafted, and the lateral tail-feathers 
mostly with an arrowhead bar or spot near the tip. The female is pre- 
cisely similar to the male. [Hume.) 
Irides deep brown; legs and hallux and its web, and basal joint of other 
toes white, tinged bluish and creamy yellow ; rest of feet and claws black ; 
bill dull oraiige-red ; margins of both mandibles, nostrils and tips dusky. 
{Hume.) 
Length about 21 inches, tail up to 10*3, wing up to 11*8, tarsus 1*1, 
bill from gape 3*4. 
I have not been able to examine a specimen of this species. 
The Short-tailed Tropic-bird was observed by Mr. Davison off the coast 
at the extreme southern point of Tenasserim, and also off Cape Negrais. 
This species has been observed in various parts of the Indian Ocean 
north of the Equator, and it probably has a very extensive range. 
