392 Dr. E. Couos on Central- A ma-ican Laridse. 



{S. panaya, Lath.), by the majority of modern ornithologists, 

 and generally called Haliplana or Onychoprion panaya. But, 

 for my part, I can see nothing in the diagnoses either of Gmelin 

 or Latham by which they can be supposed to refer to the 

 species in question. I consider Gmelin^s name as referring, in 

 all probability, to the ;S^. faliginosa from the Pacific Ocean, de- 

 scribed by Forster as S. guttata, and again by the same author 

 as S. serrata, and by Bloxham (Voy. Blonde) as S. oahuensis. This 

 '' S. fuliginosa ex Pacifica " has been by some authors considered 

 as distinct from the common North American S. fuliginosa ; but on 

 examining a large series collected by the United States Exploring 

 Expedition, I find them to be quite identical. Other specimens 

 from Australia are also specifically the same. Therefore I consider 

 that the name panayensis or panaya, Gm., Lath., is synonymous 

 with fuliginosa, Gm. If such be the case, then the well-known 

 species now under consideration has yet to receive a tenable 

 specific appellation*. A third species of Haliplana, besides S. 

 fuliginosa and the present one, is the Haliplana lunata, mihi, ex 

 Sterna lunata, Peale, Ornith. of the U. S. Exploring Expedition. 

 This is a typical component of the genus Haliplana, and is very 

 closely allied to the species under consideration, the general dis- 

 tribution of the colours being entirely similar. It is, however, a 

 perfectly valid and distinct species, difi'ering somewhat in size, and 

 very decidedly in the shade of the upper parts, as well as in some 

 minor points of coloration. These three species are all that 

 compose the genus Haliplana, as far as my knowledge extends. 

 a. " Lighthouse Pteef,'' British Honduras, 10th May, 1862 ; 

 and other specimens. 



14. Haliplana fuliginosa, Gm. : Coues, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. 

 Philad. 1863, p. 556. 



One specimen only, from Curlew Cay. Agrees with specimens 

 of the well-known species. — 0. S. 



15. Angus stolidus, Linn. : Coues, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. 

 Philad. 1862, p. 557. 



Numerous specimens from Glover^s Reef I have seen, but did 



* See my forthcoming " Monograph of the Larides " (where the species 

 is named H, discolor) for further elucidation of this point. 



