Oedee STEGANOPODES.] 
[Eam. PELECANIDA2. 
TACHYPETES AQUILA. 
(GEEAT FEIGATE BIED.) 
The Man-qf-War Bird, Edwards, Gleanings, vi. p. 209, pi. 309 (1760). 
Pelecanus aquilm, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 216 (1766). 
Frigate Pelican, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 2, p. 587 (1785). 
White-headed Frigate Pelican, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 2, p, 591 (1785). 
Palmerston Frigate Pelican, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 2, p. 593 (1785). 
Pelecanus leucocegghalus, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 572 (1788). 
Pelecanus palmerstoni , Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 573 (1788). 
Fregata aguila, Illiger, Prodr. p. 279 (1811). 
Tachypetes aguila, Vieill. N. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xii. p. 143 (1817). 
Tachypetes aguilus, Kittl. Kupf. Vog. p. 15, taf. xx. fig. 1 (1832). 
Tachypetes leucocephalus, Kittl. Kupf. Vog. p. 15, taf. xx. fig. 2 (1832). 
Atagen aguila. Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 669 (1845). 
Tackypetes palmerstoni, Cass. U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 359 (1858). 
Fregata aguila, Buller, Birds of New Zealand, 1st ed. p. 339 (1873). 
Native names. — Hokioi and Hakuwai. 
Exempt, ex N. Z. Nigricans, plumis versus apicem brunnescentibus et sub cert^ luce chalybeo nitentibus : tectricibus 
alarum brunnescente late terminatis, mecliauis albido marginatis : remigibus nigris, secundariis sordide 
olivascenti-brunneis et pallidiore brunneo terminatis : rectricibus nigris brunneo marginatis, seapis albis : 
pileo et cello undique cum pectore anteriore albis, hdc pallide ferrugineo lavato : pectore laterali cum tibiis, 
crisso, subcaudalibus et subalaribus brunnescenti-nigris : abdomine tote albo : rostro cinerascente, ungue 
corneo versus apicem nigro : pedibus carneo-brunneis : iride nigrS,. 
New-Zealand specimen {immature). Head, greater portion of neck, and a broad continuation with its apex on the 
fore part of the breast white, stained with fawn-colour on the fore neck and breast ; a broad triangular patch 
of white covering the whole of the abdomen ; the rest of the body-plumage brownish black, with dull steel 
reflexions, and strongly tinged on the upper surface with umber-brown ; the upper wing-coverts are broadly- 
edged with pale brown, and the central ones margined with white, forming a conspicuous band from the 
bend of the wing to the roots of the inner secondaries, which are dark olivaceous-brown in their whole 
extent, tipped with paler brown ; wing-feathers black, with faint steel-blue reflexions, the scapulars margined 
with brown ; tail-feathers black, with white shafts, also margined with brown. Irides black ; bill greyish, 
changing to horn-colour on the unguis, and black at the tip ; feet flesh-hro-wn. Total length 39 inches ; 
extent of -wings 82; wing, from flexure, 24; tail 16 (the middle feather 9 inches shorter) ; bill, along the 
ridge 5, along the edge of lower mandible 5 ; middle toe and claw 3*5 ; hind toe and claw 1. 
Remarks. The form of this bird is beautifully adapted to its habits of life. As will be seen from the above 
description, the wings measure nearly seven feet in extent ; moreover they are strongly built, the shaft of 
the first primary measuring a quarter of an inch in width by one eighth in thickness throughout its lower 
portion. The first primary is longest, and the rest are rapidly graduated ; the long inner secondaries reach 
to within five inches of the former in the closed wing. The tail is long and deeply forked ; the lateral tail- 
feathers are acuminate in form, with rounded tips ; the median ones are broader. The feet are small and 
