TROPIC BIRDS. 91 
     
    
   
   
    
     Under the name of “Stormy Petrel,” or “ Mother Carey’s Chicken,” 
     
     they are familiar to most people who have made sea voyages. On 
     
     tireless wing they follow in the track of a ship, coursing ceaselessly 
     
     back and forth, now beneath the stern, now hovering over the foam- 
     
     flecked wake, reminding one of white-ramped Martins in their easy, 
     
     graceful flight. If food be thrown overboard, they are at once attracted 
     
     to it, and soon are left far behind, a little group of black, fluttering 
     
     forms on the surface of the ocean. The meal disposed of, a few rapid 
     
     wing-beats bring them to us, and again they resume their patient beat- 
     
     ing to and fro. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The WHITE-BELLIED PETREL (110. Cymodroma grallaria) is a tropical 
     
     species which has been taken once in North America—at St. Marks, Florida. 
     
    

    
     The WHITE—FACED PETREL (111. Pelagodroma marina) inhabits the South 
     
     Atlantic and southern seas. It is of casual occurrence off the coast of Massa- 
     
     chusetts. It may be distinguished from any of our small Petrels by its white 
     
     under parts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ORDER STEGANOPODES. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. 
     
    
   
   
    
     FAMILY PHAETHONTIDAE. TROPIC BIRDS. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The three species composing this small but distinct family are 
     
     found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. 
     
     They are littoral rather than pelagic, but make long journeys across 
     
     the open sea. Their flight when migrating is strong, rapid, and direct. 
     
     1n feeding, they course over the water, beating back and forth at a 
     
     height of about forty feet. Their long, willowy tail-feathers add 
     
     greatly to the grace and beauty of their appearance when on the wing. 
     
    
   
   
    
     1 12._ Phaéthon flavirostris Brandt. YELLOW-BILLED TROPIC 
     
     BIRD [see Fig. 11). Ad.—Whitc; a mark before and through the eye; outer 
     
     web of primaries, lesser wing-coverts, and tertials black ; flanks streaked with 
     
     slate ; bill yellow; tail tinged with salmon, shafts of the feathers black. W., 
     
     10-75; '1‘., 19-00; B., 2-00. 
     
    

    
     Range—Tropical coasts; Atlantic coasts of tropical America, West Indies, 
     
     Bahamas, Bermudas ; casual in Florida and accidental in western New York 
     
     and Nova Seotia. 
     
    
   
   
    
     This species breeds abundantly in the limestone cliffs of the Ber- " 
     
     mudas, but is of rare and probably accidental occurrence on our coasts. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The RED~BILLED TROPIC BIRD (113. Phaé'thon oethereua) resembles the 
     
     preceding species, but has the bill red and the upper parts finely barred with 
     
     black. Its range in the Atlantic is more southern than that of the Yellow- 
     
     billed Tropic Bird, and in eastern North America it is accidental. The only 
     
     record of its occurrence is off the Newfoundland Banks.