REPORT ON THE BIRDS — THE LAPJD^E. 135 



vittata and not to Sterna hiruncUnacea, it comes nearer to the latter species than any 

 other specimen yet examined. However, its relatively smaller size, grey colour, and the 

 characteristic shortness of the foot and claws show distinctly that the bird in question is 

 Sterna vittata ; and although it has a rather unusually long bill, yet there is an absence 

 of the long curve characteristic of the American bird. It may be remarked that the bill in 

 individuals of the present species seems to be peculiarly brittle and friable, which will 

 account for the worn and blunted appearance often to be observed in the anterior 

 portions of the mandibles. 



There are the remains of an egg, labelled as taken at Heard Island, February 1874, 

 which evidently belongs to either Sterna virgata or Sterna vittata ; I incline to attribute 

 it to the former, owing to its size and dull appearance. 



4. Sterna hiruncUnacea, Lesson. 



Sterna hirundinacea, Lesson, Tr. d'Orn., p. 621, 1831 ; Saunders, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1876, 

 p. 647 ; et 1877, p. 796. 



[No. 652, $ . Messier Channel, Straits of Magellan, 4th January 1876. Eyes black ; 

 bill and legs vermdion. 



f Elizabeth Island, Straits of Magellan, 18th and 19th January 1876. 

 No. 723, $ . Eyes black ; bill and legs red. Stomach had fish. A number of eggs 

 No. 724, $ . were preserved, there being a large " rookery " at one of the low 



points of this island.] 

 Three fine and fully adult specimens of this well-known South American species. 

 Sixteen eggs from this locality are naturally rather larger than the type of those of Sterna 

 Jtuviatilis or Sterna macrura ; but otherwise they merely exhibit the same variations in 

 markings. 



5. Sterna bergii, Licht. 



Sterna bergii, Licht., Verz. Doubl., p. 80, 1823; Saunders, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1876, p. 657, et 

 1877, p. 796. 



[No. 77, t ■ *Levuka, Fiji, 30th July 1874. Eyes black ; feet black, soles brown.] 

 Nearly adult. 



[No. 231,?. Dobbo, Arrou Islands, 16th and 17th September 1874. Eyes black ; 

 feet black ; bill light yellow.] 



A bird of the year. 



[No. 345, $ . Samboangan, Philippine Islands, 24th October 1874. Eyes black.] 



Nearly adult, but in winter plumage, the head being merely striated and not black. 



[No. 486, J. Nares Harbour, Admiralty Islands, 3d to 10th March 1875. Eyes 

 black.] 



