692 S. SUPERCILIAEIS VAE. ANTILLARUM, LEAST TERN. 



perhaps the other cliiferences from dongalli might be reconciled with the 

 varying characters of age or season in that species; but at present the 

 discrepancies are insurmountable. 1 have therefore no alternative to 

 accepting Mr. Eidgway's name, at least for the present. On examining 

 the type-specimen with him, I had a suspicion that the bird might be 

 lonf/ipennis, nud he has expressed this doubt; but on conferring with 

 Middendorif, Schrenck, and Kadde, we find that the characters of longl- 

 pennis do not agree at all with those of our bird.* 



A second specimen oi portlandica has been taken by Mr. William Brews- 

 ter in Massachusetts. It agrees exactly, except that the black cap is 

 more restricted, the white reaching along the middle line over the vertex 

 to the occiput (comprising my view of the instability of this character). 

 It is slightly larger. Wing, 10.25 ; tail, C.30 ; culmen, 1.25 ; tarsus, 0.65; 

 middle toe ivithout claw, the same. 



This specimen was not included in the analysis of the subgenus on 

 p. 675, and its supposed validity requires confirmation. 



STERNA SUPEECILIARIS var. ANTILLARUM, Coues. 



Least Tern. 



a. super ciliar is. 



Sterna supefrdliaris, Vieilt.., Nouv. Diet, sxxii, 1819, 126; E. M. 350 (Hafi ceja hlanca, 

 Az., Apunt. iii, 377).— Coues, Ibis, 1864, 390.— Blas., J. f. 0. 1866, 74.— Sci.. & 

 Salv., p. Z. S. 1866, 200 (Ucayali); 1867, 593; 1871, 571; 1873, 310.— Eeinh., 

 Vid. Med. 1870, 19 (Brazil). 



Sterna macnlata, Vieill., E. M. 350 {Hati tachete, Azara). 



Sterna argentea, Maxim., Beit, iv, 871.— Bukm., Syst. Uebers. iii, 542; Eeise, ii, 519. — 

 Pelz., O. B. 325 (Brazil). 



b. antillarum. 



Sterna minuta, Wils., Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 80, j)!. 70, f. 2 (uot of Linnaeus and Enropean 

 writers).— Bp., Syn. 1828, 355.— Aud.. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 175, pi. 319; Syn, 

 18.39, 321 ; B. Am. vii, 1844, 119, 439.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 350.— Putn., Pr. Ess. 

 Inst. 1; 1856, 221 (Massacbvisetts). 



Sterna minuta americana, SuxD., Ofv. K.-A. Forb. 1869, 589 (Porto Rico). 



Sterna arcjentea, Nutt., Man. ii, 1834,280.— Bp., List, 1838, 61.— Le6t., Ois. Trinidad, 545. 



Siei'nida antillarum, Less., Descr. Mammif. et Ois. 1847, 256. 



Sterna antillarum Coues, Pr. Pbila. Acad. 1862, 552 (critical).— Coues, Ibis, 1864, 390 

 (Belize).— Coues, Ibis, 1866, 64 (coast of California) —Coues, Pr. Pbila. Acad. 

 1866, 100 (tbe same).— Coues, Pr. Ess. Inst, v, 1868, 308 (New England, breed- 

 ing).- Coues, Pr. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 126 (Soutb Carolina).— Coues, Am. Nat. 

 iii, 1869, 337 (biograpby).— Coues, Pr. Pbila. Acad, lr'71, 45 (Nortb Carolina, 

 breeding).— Lawr., Ann. Lye. viii, 1864, 107 (Sombrero); viii, 1866, 299 (New- 

 York).— Di? ess., Ibis, 1866, 44 (Texas).— Gundl., Repert. F. N. i, 1865, 393 

 (Cnba).— SCL. & Salv., P. Z. S. 1871, 571 (Central America).— Ridgw., Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. X, 1874, 391 (Illinois). 



Sternnla melanorhijncha, Less., op. et. loc. cit. (/»?•.). 



Sterna freuata, Gamii., Pr. Pbila. Acad, i v, 1848,"l28.— Lawr., B. N. A. 1858, 864.— Wheat., 

 Obio Agric. Rep. 1860, No. 276.— Coues & Prent., Smitbs. Rep. 1861, 418 

 (Wasbington, D. C). — Hayd., Rep. 1862 (Mis.souri region). — Allen, Pr. Ess. 

 Inst, iv, 1864, 90 (Massacbusetts).— Turnb., B. E. Pa. 1869, 39.— Snow, B. Ivans. 

 1873, 12 (rare). 



Sternula frcnata, Bp., Compt. Rend. 1856, 773. 



Sterna superciUarla, Cab.,.!, f. O. v, 232 (Cuba).— Coues, Key, 1872, 322 (Nortb America). 



Sterna {Sternula) .Hupereiliaris, Gray, Hand-list, iii, 1871, 121, No. 11066 (includes botb). 



* Since writing tbe foregoing, I bave bad an opportunity of inspecting a line example 

 of longipennis, tbrougb tbe kind attentions of Dr. Otto Finscb, of Bremen. I fail to see 

 bow longipennis dift'ers from hirnndo (aucl.) except in tbe more extensively black bill. 

 It is of exactly tbe same size, proportion of parts, and general aspect. Tbe species (if 

 it be one) bas given ornitbologists some trouble, apparently ; but tbe only (luestiou 

 seems to me to be its distinctness from Jdrundo. 



