GREATER FRIGATE BIRD. 
Fregata ARIEL (Gray). 
Occurring in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific 
Oceans, but much rarer than Fregata 
minor (Gmelin), but subspecies are recog- 
nisable. 
The immature bird figured and described was collected at sea off New 
Zealand, in April, 1913, and the adult is the type of listeri. 
The preceding account was prepared and sent to the printer, when it 
occurred to me that a short note on the species name would be appreciated 
by Ornithologists. I therefore exhibited at the meeting of the British 
Ornithologists’ Club, held on the 9th December, 1914, specimens of three of 
the forms above mentioned, and these excited so much interest that I was 
compelled to publish a synopsis of my work in the Austral Avian Record in 
order to prevent complications. 
In the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club, Vol. XXXV., pp. 36-37, 
Dec. 29, 1914, appears the following account : “ Mr. Gregory M. Mathews 
also exhibited three new Frigate-Birds and made the following remarks : 
‘ An examination of the birds known as Fregata aquila for my Birds of 
Australia has shown that three distinct species have been confused under that 
name. 
‘ Pelecanus aquilus Linne, S^st. Nat., 10th ed., p. 133 (1758), is based 
upon a specimen procured by Osbeck at Ascension Island, which has generally 
been accepted as the type locality. It has been overlooked, however, that 
the bird found on Ascension Island is a very different species from that 
commonly known by the name of Fregata aquila. In the Ascension Island 
species the male and female are both black, and the immature bird from the 
downy nestling onwards has a white head and neck. This species appears 
to be restricted to Ascension Island. 
‘ The adult male of the common widespread species is black throughout, 
but the adult female has the lower breast and sides of the belly white : the 
rest of the plumage resembles that of the male, but is duller. The downy 
nestling has the entire head and neck rusty-red. This disappears later, 
and in the next phase the bird assumes a white head and entirely white 
under-parts, in which stage the birds sometimes is [s^c] said to breed. The 
first name certainly applicable to this bird is Pelecanus minor Gmelin {Byst. Nat., 
p. 572, 1789). In the Austral Avian Record, Vol. II., No. 6, various forms of 
Fregata are described. Many subspecies are easily recognisable, and these 
will be fully elaborated in my Birds of Australia.’ ” 
271 
