50 LAKIDiE. 



4. Sterna virgata. 



? Southern Tern, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 2, p. 365 (1785: Christmas 



"Island" [? Christmas Somid, Kerguelen Id.]) ; id. Gen. Hist. 



X. p. 126 (1824). 

 ? Sterna australis, Gm. Sijst. Nat. i. p. 608 (1788) ; Lath. Ind. Orn. 



ii. p. 809 (1790) ; Bonn. Enc. Method, i. p. 97 (1790) ; Stqih. in 



Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii. pt. 1, p. 162 (1825) ; Gray, Gen. B. iii. 



p. 659 (1846). 

 ? Planetis australis, Boie, Isis, 1844, p. 189. 

 Sterna macrura (part.), Gray, List Anseres Brit. Mus. p. 178, f, g 



(1844: Kerguelen Id.). 

 Sterna meridionalis {nee Brehm, nee Peak, nee Cassin), Layard, Ibis, 



1867, p. 459 (Crozette Is., in Coll. B. M.). 

 Sterna virgata, Cab. J.f. O. 1875, p. 449; Cab. S^ Reichen. J. f. 0. 



1876, p. 328 ("Kerguelen) ; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 646 (revision 



Sterninse) ; id. op. cit. 1C77, p. 794 ; id. Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. 



p. 402 (1878) ; Sharpe, Pep. Trans. Venus, Phil. Tr. clxviii. p. 112 



(1878 : Kerguelen) ; Saunders, t. c. p. 164 (eggs) ; id. Voy. H.M.S. 



' Challenyer^ ii. Birds, p. 133 (1881 : Kerguelen). 

 Sterna vittata, Coues, Btdl. U.S. Nat. Mm. ii. p. 17 (1875 \mc 



Gm., nee Pelzeln'], Kerguelen) ; Coues ^ Kidder, op. cit. iii. p. 11 



(1876). 



Adult in breeding-jjlumage. Similar to the previous species, but 

 darker on the underparts, lo that the white moustachial streak 

 £,uands out in stronger contrast between the grey chin and the 

 black cap ; webs of primaries darker, especially the outermost ; 

 shafts dull white to ash ; tail-feathers more prolonged and pointed, 

 and with the entire outer webs of the streamers distinctly grey : 

 bill blood-red (in the living bird) ; tarsi and toes orange-red, fuUy 

 webbed. Total length 13 inches, culmen 1-2, wing 10, tail 6'25, 

 depth of fork 3, tarsus 0"65, middle toe and claw 0-9, the claw 

 short and stout. 



In ivinier, or during the moult, the head is mottled with grey, 

 and the bill, feet, &c. are yellowish to livid brown. 



Young. Forehead brownish grey, crown and nape mottled with 

 black ; feathers of upper parts broadly tipped with blackish brown, 

 with subterminal spots of dull white on the inner secondaries ; under- 

 parts greyish, flecked with brown. In fledglings both upper and 

 under parts are marked with warm brown ; in fact the characteristic 

 of the young of this species is the darkness of all the markings. 



Hah. Kerguelen Island, and probably Heard Island ; also the 

 Crozettes. A single egg is deposited among stones on the bare 

 ground, at a moderate distance from the beach. 



a. (S ad.; b. 5 juv. ; Kerguelen Island, 50° S. lat., Antarctic Exped. 



c. Ad. sk. Southern Indian Ocean. 



d. Ad. ; e. Juv. sk. Royal Sound, S.E. Kerguelen Transit of Venus 



{Pev. A. E. Eaton). Exped. 



J. Ad. sk. Royal Sound, S.E. Kerguelen H. Saunders Coll. 



{Dr. Kidder, U.S. Eiped.). 



f, h. Ad. ; t. Inmi. Christmas Harbour, N.W. Ker- H.M.S. ' Challenger ' 



sk. guelen. Exped. 



