STERNA. 409 
Saddle Cay, and is also found in the West Indian Islands, but does not seem to visit 
the coasts of South America. 
This is a social bird, and is found in great numbers in company with other Terns, 
especially the Noddies (Anous). Salvin found it common about the Cays of the Belize 
coast, where it is known to the Creoles as the ‘‘ Rocky Bird.” He discovered its eggs 
on Saddle Cay on the 10th of May: a little sand was scratched away for a nest, under 
such shelter as the bushes that grew nearest the beach afforded® 1°. S. anestheta was 
also found nesting at Clarence Harbour by Mr. Cory, in company with S. dougalli and 
S. fuliginosa, the eggs resembling those of the last named bird, but being more spotted 
about the larger end; they were deposited in sheltered clefts in ledges of rocks or in 
cavities amongst the loose boulders which lined the sea-shore 3. 
According to Mr. Oates, the eggs are usually of a blunt oval form, but some are 
rather pointed at the smaller end. ‘The ground-colour varies from cream to rich 
pinkish-buff, and this is marked with specks, spots, and blotches of reddish-brown. 
These markings are not very thickly distributed over the shell, nor are they of very 
large size, but they are distinct and sharply defined, and it is seldom that two or more 
are confluent, while the underlying pattern is of a pale purple colour ’. 
8. Sterna fuliginosa. 
L’ Hirondelle de mer & grande envergure, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. viii. p. 345°. 
Sooty Tern, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. 2, p. 352”. 
Sterna fuliginosa, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 605°; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. 
ii. p. 812°; A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 26°; Saunders, Cat. Birds Brit. 
Mus. xxv. p. 106°; Oates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. i. p. 1917; Anthony, Auk, xv. p. 316°. 
Haliplana fuliginosa, Coues, Ibis, 1864, p. 392°; Salv. Ibis, 1864, pp. 381°, 385 "; 1866, p. 200” ; 
P. Z. S. 1867, p. 161; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 184™. 
Onychoprion fuliginosus, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 572”. 
Haliplana fuliginosa, var. crissalis (Baird, MSS.), Grayson, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. pp. 285", 
318°"; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 318". 
Sterna fuliginosa crissalis, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna, no. 14, p. 24”. 
Ptil. estiv. S. anesthete similis, sed major: supra fuliginoso-nigricans, interscapulio minime pallidiore, sed 
dorso concolore ; fronte alba latiore et supercilio haud pone oculum posticum producto; corpore subtus 
albo, lateribus et crisso vix cineraceo lavatis: rostro et pedibus nigris, vix rubro tinctis; iride castanea. 
Long. tota circa 16:0, ale 11°5, caudw 3-1, rectrice extima 6:0, culm. 1°8, tarsi 0°95. (Descr. maris 
adulti ex Southern Water Cay. Mus. nostr.) 
Ptil. hiem. ptilosi estive similis, sed loris pileoque albo maculatis distinguenda. 
Juv. noteo toto fuliginoso-brunneo, plumis singulis albido marginatis: subtus fuliginosa, plumis basaliter 
albidis, abdomine imo albo: rostro et pedibus rubro-brunneis. (Descr. avis jun. ex insula ‘* Ascencion ” 
dicta. Mus. Brit.) 
Hab. Norra America, Carolinas, casually to New England®.—Revitiaaicepo Is., 
Socorro I. (Grayson 1° 1819, Anthony ®).—W. Muxico, Mazatlan (Lorrer °), Isabel L., 
off San Blas, Tres Marias Is. (Grayson 4 1°18, Nelson); British Honpuras, 
Cays of the Belize coast 12° Curlew Cay 1°12, Saddle Cay®!*, Southern 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. III., November 1903. 52 
