886 
U. S P. E. R, EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
Cuba. It is without doubt tlie species described and figured by Audubon, and which recent 
writers refer to the “candidus” of Brisson, ( flavirostris of Brandt.) 
In a monograph of the Phaetonidae, given by Professor F. Brandt in the Bulletin of the St. 
Petersburg Academy, he says G-melin, Latham, and others have confounded the two species 
aethereus, Linn., and candidus , Briss. 
The above bird agrees with the description of “ candidus” as given by Brandt, differing only 
in having the six outer primaries marked with black instead of four ; six is the number stated 
by Edwards, whose figure agrees with the present species. The black markings on the 
primaries probably vary with age, as in many species of gulls. 
Mr. Sclater, in Zool. Proc., (as above,) adopts Brandt’s name of “ flavirostris for the reason 
that ‘‘Brisson was no binomalist, and has no claim to bestow specific names in a binominal 
system.” 
I have another specimen, apparently of this species, purchased some years since from a dealer, 
the locality from which it was obtained being unknown. The black markings are distributed 
much the same as in the specimen from Cuba, but the black is confined to the four outer prima¬ 
ries, not crossing the shaft of the fourth, and on the fifth a very narrow margining of black on 
each side of the shaft near the base; the black is much further removed from the tips also. 
The prevailing color, instead of being white, is of a fine deep salmon, of a very uniform shade 
throughout; the hypoehondrical feathers are striped with greyish black, of which color are the 
upper tail coverts for about half their length at the base ; the bill is dusky greenish olive at the 
base of the upper mandible and sides of the lower, the remainder pale yellow; the toes are all 
yellow at the base. The length is 32 inches; the wing 11^-. 
In the above plumage it agrees with a figure of this species given by Reichenbach, Syst. Av. 
pi. 30, taken from a specimen in the Dresden Museum. 
List of specimens. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Original 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Wings. 
Cuba__ 
Cab. George N. Lawrence_ 
1038 
J. Gundlach__ 
30. 00 
11. CO 
