58 
THE CONDOR 
VOL. VI 
a mystery, for it is only three miles long by one and a half broad, and is so low as 
to be perceptible only a few miles at sea. 
We found the man-o’-war birds living in little commurities of half a dozen 
pairs or more, and they had built their nests of sticks and morning-glory vines, 
placing the rude structure on the top of low Inishes. Here either the male or 
female was always to be found, holding down the claim as it were. Sticks are dif- 
ficult to obtain because the birds must break them from the bushes, and this means 
work. No professional robber loves work, as such. Consequently if both birds 
left the home, even for a short time, certain roving neighbors would consider it 
their duty to appropriate any suitable material for the enlargement of their own 
houses. And then, when the real owners returned they would look in vain for 
the nest, which melted away as if by magic. 
These birds are amusing creatures in more wa3'S than one. They habitually 
sit on the nest with their heads tucked down between the wings. Consequently 
the^' always appear as if chilhq with their shoulders hunched up and their ‘hands’ 
deep in their pockets. Yet one finds it far from cold in the glare of tropical sunshine. 
But the greatest ‘circus’ of all, if I may be allowed the term, is the male bird. 
Just under his chin he has a little pouch of bare skin, like a wattle, which is tech- 
nically known as a gular sac. During the courting sea.son, this pouch is inflated 
to a large size, and becomes a most brilliant red. In fact the adornment resembles 
a toy balloon, such as small children delight to dangle on a string. The color is 
a.stoni.shingly bright, being a crimson, which varies in its intensity from time to 
time, for the sac often catches on its surface the sheen of the sk3% or becoming 
somewhat collapsed, turns translucent orange about the sides. 
As we wandered over the inner slopes of the island we could see these gro- 
tesque creatures on all sides, sprinkled among brooding birds with shriveled sacs, 
and white-breasted females. It would be difficult to convey any idea of the droll 
expre.ssions which the ‘puffed up’ males habitualh' assume. The photograph 
hardly does justice to the subject. If the sac is full}- inflated it obscures the whole 
breast, so that when viewed from the front the bird appears to be peeping over 
itself. Only the crown of the head, the beak, and two very bright eyes can be 
seen. At a distance one is strongly reminded of great red fruits resting in their 
foliage of soft green. 
Fregata will often sit for a long time as shown in the photograph, scarcely 
altering his position. But if Ids spouse appears somewhere overhead, sailing to 
and fro, he is all animation at once. As she swoops down he sudden!}- stands up 
in the nest, throws back his head, spreads his great wings, and protruding the 
brilliant pouch, shakes his head from side to side, with a hoarse cackle. Occasion- 
ally she deigns to alight near him. Then he takes even greater pains to make his 
charms conspicuous, for, trembling with excitement and waving his pouch, he 
fluffs up the long, greenish, iridescent feathers on his back. In this po.sture he 
attempts to strut, but cannot: so instead he cackles and chuckles in an outlandish 
manner, calculated to captivate his mate. But at this moment she usually flies 
away, leaving him to relap.se into his former stolidity. 
After the single white egg is laid all this ceases. The sac is no longer 
inflated, and resumes its usual insignificant size. Both birds' ttle down to the 
serious duty of brooding the egg, and guarding the nest fron/'marauding neigh- 
bors. Their eternal vigilance is even more necessary when the naked chick is 
hatched, for if there is one piece of deviltry in which the frigate bird indulges, it is 
