192 A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare vagrant, mostly April and May, 

 sometimes in small flocks, three in autumn. England. — Has occurred 

 Durham, Yorks. (two spring, one Sept. 26, 1896), Norfolk (many), 

 Kent, Sussex, Hants., Dorset (several), Devon (several, one Nov.. 

 1870), Cornwall and Scilly, Warwick (two). Ireland. — Six. One 

 each Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, two Dublin (one Oct., 

 1841). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in south-east Europe, north to 

 Hungary, and ( ? regularly) in Bavaria, throughout south Russia and 

 temperate Asia to China. In winter in Africa and south Asia to 

 Australia and even New Zealand. Accidental in North America 

 and Barbados. 



STERNA NILOTICA* 



415. Sterna nilotica nilotica Gm.— THE GULL-BILLED 



TERN. 



Sterna nilotica Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, ii, p. 606 (1789 — Egypt. Ex 



Hasselquist). 



Sterna anglica Montagu, Yarrell, iii, p. 531 ; Saunders, p. 639. 



Distribution. — England. — Very rare vagrant. About twenty- 

 four : Lanes, (two), Yorks. (one), Norfolk (ten), Kent (four or five), 

 Sussex (three), Hants, (one), Devon (one), Cornwall (one), Scilly 

 (one). All spring or summer and none recorded last twelve j-ears. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in Europe in a few small colonies 

 on coasts of Jutland and Schleswig, formerly on small island near 

 Riigen in Baltic, exceptionally in Bavaria, Hungary (aj^parently 

 now only one breeding-place), south France, Spain and Portugal, 

 Greece, Asia Minor, on Black and Caspian Seas, and north-west 

 Africa (island on Tunisian coast, Algeria). Across temiDerate Asia 

 to Mongolia, but breeds in Persia, and the Punjab (India). In 

 winter, ranges all over Africa and trox^ical Asia. Also breeds in North 

 and in South America, and winters in eastern South America. 

 Represented by closety-allied race in Australia, and j)robably other 

 forms are separable. 



STERNA TSCHEGRAVAt 



416. Sterna tschegrava Lep.— THE CASPIAN TERN. 



Sterna Tschegrava Lepechin, Nov. Comm. Acad. Petr., xiv, i, p. 500, 



pi. xiii (1770— S. Russia). 



Sterna caspia Pallas, Yarrell, iii, p. 536 ; Samiders, p. 641. 



* The name nilotica antedates anglica by twenty -four years. 



•\ Lepechin's description and figiu"e are quite clear, and his name must be 

 accepted. I have carefully coinpared them and have asked the opinion of three 

 other ornithologists, who fully agree with my view. Saunders also quoted 

 it without doubt, but probably rejected it because he did not like " changes," 

 and as it has only page-priority. — E.H. 



