p 



A NEW PROCELSTERNA FROM THE LEEWARD ISLANDS, 

 HAWAIIAN GROUP. 



By Walter K. Flshek. 



During the past spring- the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Alhatross, 

 while engaged in deep-sea dredging in Hawaiian waters, made a trip to 

 Laysan Island, and on the return voyage stopped at Necker Island 

 (latitude 23° 35' 2i" N. ; longitude 164° 41' W.). Here the naturalists 

 of the Expedition were landed. Almost at once we noticed a little 

 gray tern about the rocks, and promptly secured specimens. The 

 same species had previously been seen at sea near the French Frigate 

 Shoals, to the westward. The tern proved to be a new species of the 

 genus Proeelsterna Lafresnaye," and is here described. 



I wish to record my best thanks to Mr. Witmer Stone, of Philadel- 

 phia, Pennsylvania, for kindly comparing the type with that of Anous 

 ciiirveus Gould {^^Proeelsterna cinereci) and for giving me measure- 

 ments, and notes on the literature appertaining to P. eerulea (Bennett) 

 and P. cinerea (Gould). I am also indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway, of 

 the IT. S. National Museum, for the loan of a specimen of P. cendea and 

 one of P. cinerea^ which have been of the greatest value; to Mr. J. O. 

 Snj'der, who shared the discovery with the writer; and not least to 

 Dr. Charles H. Gilbert, chief of the expedition, who encouraged in 

 every possible way the ornithological side of our Avork. 



PROCELSTERNA SAXATILIS, new species. 

 NECKER ISLAND TERN. 



Specific cJuvracters. — Nearest Proeelsterna cinerea (Gould) but more 

 bluish in color, with darker upper parts, darker breast, sides, iianks, 

 and lower tail coverts, and with pearly gray under wing coverts 

 (instead of white of cinerea)^ shorter and slenderer bill, and shorter 

 wings. 



%>.— Adult male. No. 188651, U.S.N.M.; Necker Island (longi- 

 tude 164° 41' W.; latitude 23° 35' 24" N.), Hawaiian group, May 31, 

 1902; collected by Walter K. Fisher; orig. no. 143. 



«Maj. de ZooL, (2), Ois., pi. XXIX, cum dewript. (1842). Type Sterna cerulea 

 Bennett. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXVI— No. 1322. 



559 



