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THE TROPIC BIRD. 
Phaeton .ethereus, Linn . 
PLATE CCCCXXVII. — Adult Male and Female. 
The specimens from which the figures in the plate were taken, were 
obtained on the Tortugas, in the summer of 1832, by my kind friend 
Robert Day, Esq., of the United States revenue cutter Marion. They 
were shot out of a flock of eight or ten, and were in fine condition. I have 
represented the male and female, in what I suppose to be their full summer 
or breeding plumage ; but not having had an opportunity of studying the 
habits of this remarkable bird, I am unable to give any information 
respecting them. 
Phaeton ^ethereus, Bonap. Syn., p. 409. 
Tropic Bird, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 503. 
Tropic Bird, Phaeton cethereus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 442. 
Male, 29£, 38. Female, 26, 34. 
Rare on the coast of Florida. Migratory. 
Adult Male in summer. 
Bill as long as the head, stout, very much compressed, slightly curved, 
tapering, acute. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the 
ridge narrow, but rounded, the sides sloping and slightly convex at the base, 
nearly perpendicular towards the end, the edges sharp, irregularly broken, 
the tip acute. Nasal groove short, near the ridge ; nostrils linear, very 
small. Lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, extremely 
narrow, the dorsal line straight and ascending, the sides erect and slightly 
convex, the edges sharp but irregularly- serrated, the tip very acute. 
Head rather large, ovate. Neck short and thick. Body rather full. 
Feet very short ; tibia bare for a considerable space ; tarsus extremely 
short, roundish, covered all round with small round scales ; toes rather 
small, placed in the same plane, and connected by reticulated webs ; the 
first toe very small, the third and fourth about equal, all scutellate above. 
Claws small, arched, compressed, rather sharp, that of middle toe largest, 
with an undulated thin inner edge. 
Plumage soft, blended, on the back and wings rather compact. Wings 
