Birds of Celebes: Fregatidae. 
883 
ORDER STEGANOPODES. 
The Frigate-birds, Cormorants, Gannets, Tropic-birds and Pelicans form an 
order of natatorial birds, some of which (the Tropic-birds) bear some resemblance 
to the Terns, others (the Darters) to the Divers and Grebes, others (the Pelicans) 
to the Duck-family, but the Steganopodes may always be distinguished by their 
feet which have a continuous web, the hind toe being placed laterally on the 
inner side and connected with the others by a web (almost absent in the Frigate- 
birds). They differ further from other natatorial birds (except the Petrels and 
Penguins) in having their young hatched blind and helpless, and in other points. 
FAMILY FREGATIDAE. 
The Frigate-birds are well characterized by the bill which is about twice 
as long as the head, nearly straight, with a terminal hook like that of a Bird- 
of-prey; by the extremely long wing, coupled with magnificent powers of flight; 
by the very short tarsus, about Vi the length of the middle toe and claw; by 
the feet, webbed only towards the base of the anterior toes, with the hallux 
practically free, and the claw of the middle toe very long and pectinated. The 
sexes are somewhat different, the old male being ornamented about the inter- 
scapulary region with glossy hackle-feathers. 
GENUS FREGATA Briss. 
Description as for the family. 
375. FREGATA MINOR (Gm.). 
Lesser Frigate-bird. 
Fregata minor [Brisson, Orn. 1760, VI, 509]; (1) Schl. , Mus. P.-B., Pelecani, 1863, 3; (2) 
Sclat. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1878, 650; (3) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 1203; (4)'H.ume, 
Str. F. 1880, IX, 119; (5) Salvad., Om. Pap. 1882, HE, 404; (6) Oates, B. Br. 
Bnrmah 1883, H, 228; (7) Pleske, Bull. Ac. Sc. Petersb. 1884, XII, 137; (8) Brd., 
Brew. & Ridgw., Water B. X. Am. 1884, II, 128; (9) Biittik., Notes LeyL Mus. 
1886, Vm, 68; (10) Ridgw., Man. N. Amer. B. 1887, 83; (11) Sharpe, Ibis 1888, 
204; (12) W. Bias., t. c. 373; (13) Everett, J. Str. Br. R. A. S. 1889, 187; (14) 
Whitehd., Ibis 1890, 61; (15) Sh. & Whitehd., t. c. 149; (16) Sh., ib. 285; (17) 
Salvad., Agg. Orn. Pap. 1891, 211; (18) Sibree, Ibis 1892, 271; (19) Newt, 
Diet B. 1893, p. 294; (20) Bns. & Worces. , B. Menage Exped. 1894, 32; (21) 
Vorderm., N. T. Ned. Ind. 1895, LIV, 324; (22) Grant, Ibis 1896, 128. 
a. Pelecanus minor (1) Gm., S. N. 1788, I, 572. 
h. Tachypetes minor (1) VieilL, Nouv. Diet XII, 144 (1817); (2) Gould, Hb. B. Austr. 
1865, n, 499; (3) Finseh & Hartl., Orn. Centralpolyn. 1867, 267; (4) Sharpe, 
111 * 
