.'530 LAKIU.E. 



1909, on Oyster Cay, north-east of Cairns, North-eastern (jueenslaiid, measure ;- Length (A) 

 2 X 1-45 inches; (B) 2-i53 x 1-45 inches ; (C) 2-oS x 1-42 inches; (I)) 2-02 x 1-35 inches. Four 

 eggs tai<en by me on the i5tli October, igio, on Great Admiralty Kock, measure: — Length 

 (A) 2-15 X 1-46 inches; (B) 2'03 x 1-42 inches; (C) rqS x 1-42 inches; {D) 2-05 x 1-45 inches. 



Recently hatched young in the down have the head and entire upper parts dull smoky- 

 brownish-black', the apical half of the down being pale buffy-brown, the darker bases giving it a 

 mottled appearance ; chin and under parts dull white, the bufly-brown and dull black of the 

 upper parts extending across the throat, and on to the sides of the fore-neck and lower sides of 

 the breast. Total length 3-5 inches. When a few days lild the brownish-black colour increases, 

 only the extreme tips of the down on the upper parts are bully-brown, and it is intermingled 

 here and there with dull white. 



Gould remarks : — " The. OiiViiiopiiiiii fttligiiiosa, says Mr. Macgillivray, was found breeding 

 in prodigious numbers on Kaine Islet, and Bramble Key in Torres Strait, in May and June, 

 associated with Noddies (A nous stolidus), and Gilbert found it breeding on Houtman Abrolhos 

 in December." The latter third of the year and the first inonth of the following one, however, 

 may be regarded as tlie normal breeding season in Australia and Lord Howe Island. On 

 Norfolk Island it is usually a month later, although the young birds may remain on the islands 

 a month or two longer. As stated before, the duration of the season greatly depends on how 

 often the birds have been robbed. 



Sterna melanauchen. 



BLACK-NAPED 'I'KRN. 



S/j'Tua iio'Ixnauchcu, Temiii., PI. Col., Vol. IV., pi. 427, (lf<27) ; GouUI, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. VIL, 

 pi. 28 (1848); vl., Handhk. Bds. Austr., Vol. II., p. 400(I8(j.i); Saunders, Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mus., Vol. XXV., p. 12(; (I8'.)6) ; Sharpe, Hand-I. Bds., Vol. L, p. 137 (1899). 



Aduf.t malic, in breeding plumage. — Gfni'ra/ coloirr n.horf, iiicliidiinj the iciiiif, lielicate pearl- 

 ffi'ei/ : s/ijift^ of lh,f, jiriiiinrii'!< /I'/ii/e, (he outer iveb of Ihr. imtennoul, priuiarij on. eitJier sii/e hhickinh-yrey ; 

 central liiil-feathers delicate penrl-yrey, the lateral featliers while ; head, Jdnd-neck, all the uitder 

 surf ice and }i,nde.r wing and under tail-coverts wliite ; a short streak, commencing in front and 

 extending through the eye and aronnd t/ie nape, iv/iere it becomes renj much broader, rich black ; bill 

 black ; legs and feel brownish-black. Total length l-i\'i indies, icing S'O, central tail-feathers -J, outer 

 tail-feathers 6, bill I'o tarsns 0'!>. 



Adult FEMALK, in breeding plumage. — Siinilar in plumngr to thf male. 



Distiibiition. — North-western Australia, Northern Territory, (Queensland. 



(SKN Australian waters the Black-naped Tern frecjuents the adjacent islets of the northern 

 -L portion of the continent, occurring farther south on the eastern than it does on the western 

 side, although I have never seen or heard of specimens being obtained in New South Wales 

 waters. Undoubtedly the great stronghold of this species in Australia is the islands lying 

 between the Great Barrier Reef and the North-eastern coast of Queensland, and those of Torres 

 Strait. According to Mr. Saunders the adult in winter plumage differs only from the adult in 

 breeding plumage in having less black in front of the eye and on the nape. 



From Broken Hill, South-western New South Wales, Dr. W. Macgillivray wrote : — " Sterna 

 melanauchen was noted on several occasions on my way between Cooktown and Cape York, either 

 in pairs or fishing in association with Noddies and Panayan Terns, especially in the still water 

 passages that run through the Flinders Group, and several were noted over a fresh water lagoon 



