66 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
Frigate-birds are remarkable in more ways than one. To begin with, their general appear- 
ance may be described as that of a small, long-winged, fork-tailed albatross, mounted upon 
particularly diminutive legs, so short as to do little more than raise the body off the ground. 
Their flight is wonderfully graceful, and capable of being sustained for considerable periods; 
for, like the gannets, they pass most of their time on the wing. They feed upon surface-fish, 
which they capture from the surface of the water without alighting, or upon fish which they 
take from the gannets of the neighbourhood. 
I'rigate-birds build their nests in trees, on low bushes, or on the groutid, and sometimes 
upon ledges of precipitous cliffs. The nest is a loose structure composed of sticks, and its 
construction is accompanied by much pilfering from one another. Only a single egg is laid. 
About the beginning of January the male acquires a very remarkable pouch of brilliant 
scarlet skin, which hangs beneath the beak. Frigate-birds are found all over the world within 
the tropics. 
The Tropic-birds, or Boatswain-birds, as they are sometimes called, are more like gulls 
or the heavier species of terns in general appearance, and in no way resemble superficially 
the forms with which they are associated, save in the fact that all the toes are enclosed in 
the same web. A study of their anatomy, however, leaves little doubt that these birds are 
really members of the Pelican Tribe. 
Either pure white, reliev'ed with black, or of a beautiful apricot-yellow, with similar black 
markings, with a powerful bill and long tapering tail, the tropic-bird is one of the most 
beautiful of sea-birds. There are altogether about six species of tropic-birds, distributed over 
the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They nest in hollows of cliffs or holes in trees, and lay a 
single egg, which bears some resemblance to that of a kestrel. 
CHAPTER VIII 
SCREAMERS, DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 
F amiliar as are most of our readers 
with all save the first mentioned of 
these birds, yet few probably suspect 
how great a wealth of forms this group 
displays. All are more or less aquatic in 
their habits, of heavy build, with long necks 
and small heads, short legs, and short wings 
and tails. The young are hatched covered 
with a peculiar kind of down, which more 
nearly resembles that of the Ostrich Tribe 
than the down of other birds, and they run 
about or accompany their parents to the 
water either immediately or a few hours 
after hatching. Several species have become 
domesticated, and in some cases have mven 
o 
rise to peculiar breeds, whilst many are much 
in demand for the purpose of enlivening 
ornamental waters. 
The least-known members of the group 
are the very remarkable and extremely interest 
ing Screamers of South America, of which 
there are three species. These are large birds, 
presenting some resemblances to the Game- 
birds on the one hand and the Geese on the 
CRESTED SCREAMER, OR CHAKA 
The Crested and Horned Screamers are the only members of the family 
without webbed feet 
