ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE STORK-LIKE BIRDS
THE TROPIC-BIRDS (Family Phaethontidce)
According to the ancient Greek mythology, Phaethon, son of Helios, one day attempted to drive the celestial chariot in its course across the sky, but the fiery steeds recognized the unaccustomed hand, and swerved from the usual path, causing dire disaster. In fanciful mood Linnaeus gave the name of Phaethon to the Tropic-birds, inasmuch as they, in their wanderings, follow mainly the path of the sun, though occasionally the power of the gale may, as did the untamed steeds of Phaethon, force them far from their usual course.”
The Tropic-bird,”says Nuttall,”soaring perpetually over the tepid seas, where it dwells without materially straying beyond the verge of the ecliptic, seems to attend the car of the sun under the mild zone of the tropics, and advises the mariner with unerring certainty of his entrance within the torrid climes."
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