28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [vol.82 



Family LARIDAE, Gulls and Terns 



LARUS ATRIGILLA Linnaeus 



Laughing Gull 



Larus atricilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 136 (Bahama Islands). 



In crossing from Aux Cayes to lie k Vache on April 27, we saw five 

 of these birds in full plumage. Between Barahona and Beata Island 

 these gulls were common at sea, and it was noted that there was a 

 regular flight from the south in early morning. At Beata they were 

 common along the beach, and fished with the brown pelicans. All 

 were in full breeding dress, so that it seems probable that there is a 

 nesting colony somewhere in this area. One gull associated itself 

 closely with fishing pelicans awaiting their dives to drive small fish 

 into shallow water, whereupon it made its own plunge into the school 

 and rarely missed its fish. 



GELOCHEUDON NILOTICA ARANEA (Wilson) 



Gull-billed Tern 



Sterna aranea Wilson, Amer. Orn., vol. 8, 1814, p. 143, pi. 72, fig. 6 (Cape May, 

 New Jersey) . 



Several gull-billed terns were observed on May 10 as we came in to 

 anchor at Beata Island. 



STERNA DOUGALLH DOUGALLH Montagu 



Roseate Tern 



Sterna dougallii Montagu, Suppl. Orn. Diet., 1813, text and plate (not num- 

 bered) (Cambrae Islands, Firth of Clyde). 



At Beata Island, on May 12, we located a colony of a dozen pairs 

 of roseate terns on a block of limestone a few feet square forming a 

 tiny island in the lagoon back of our camp. The birds may have 

 been present here earlier but were not definitely identified until the 

 day mentioned. They were evidently on their breeding grounds but 

 had not yet laid on our departure on May 15. On that day an adult 

 male was taken. On May 16 these terns were seen in small numbers 

 at sea between Beata and Puerto Caiman; on May 17 others were 

 recorded north as far as Paradis. 



STERNA ANAETHETA RECOGNITA (Mathews) 



American Bridled Tern 



Melanosterna anaethetus recognita Mathews, The birds of Australia, vol. 2, pt. 4, 

 Nov. 1, 1912, p. 403 (Bahama Islands). 



On May 14 we found considerable colonies of bridled terns nesting 

 on three isolated rocks lying 2 or 3 kilometers offshore from the 

 northern coast of Beata Island, Dominican Republic. The birds 



