78 LAKIDJE. 



Actoclielidon sandvicensis, Salvad. Ucc. Ital. p. 275 (1887). 

 Actochelidon acuflavida, Heine ^ Reichenow, Nomencl. Mm. Hein. 

 p. 355 (1890). 



Adult in hreeding-plumage. Forehead, upper lores, crown, and 

 nape black, the feathers of the last acuminate and produced into a dis- 

 tinct crest ; mantle pale pearl-grey, a shade paler than in 8. dourjalli ; 

 the primaries with white margins to the inner webs as in that 

 species ; tail white, the outer leathers not much elongated ; under- 

 parts white, with an evanescent pink tinge, less pronounced than in 

 S. doucjalli : bill black, with about half an inch yellow at the tiji ; 

 tarsi and toes black. Total length 16 inches, culmen 2-5, wing 12, 

 tail 5-75, depth of fork 2-75-3, tarsus 1-1, middle toe with claw 

 1-2. The sexes are alike in plumage. 



Adult in eclipse. Similar to the above, but white below, the fore- 

 head and crown nearly white, with streaks of black, which are 

 confluent in front of the eye and on the nape. The new primaries 

 are assumed about March, and have then well-defined white margins 

 to the inner webs, as may be seen in examples from Karachi and 

 from West Africa ; but these white edges soon wear down, and it 

 would be difficult to find any birds in Europe in May with such 

 conspicuous borders. It must also be said that in American birds 

 these white margins are never so broad as in Old World examples, 

 and are barely continuous to the extremities of the outer primaries ; 

 nevertheless, in some Texan specimens, obtained early in May, the 

 white edges, though narrow, are quite unbroken. The black head 

 is reassumed in April and begins to fade in June. 



Immature. Similar to the above, but with a greyish band along 

 the upper wing-coverts, greyish centres to the inner and outer 

 secondaries, and the terminal portions of the tail-feathers brownish 

 grey, the outer feathers nearly white. 



Yotinr/. Similar, but forehead ash-brown ; crown dull white, 

 thickly streaked with brownish black ; upper parts mottled and 

 variegated with black and white : bill horn-colour, yellowish at the 

 base of the under mandible. 



Nestling. Upper parts mottled huffish grey ; underparts white : 

 bill yellowish ; legs and feet greyish brown, webs paler. 



This is essentially a Sea-Tern, rarely nesting at any considerable 

 distance from salt water. The eggs, two or three in number and 

 often beautifully marked, are deposited on the bare ground or on 

 drift. The hind toe in this species is certainly very small, though 

 this character seems hardly enough for generic distinction ; still 

 S. eantiaca is an interesting pivot-species, connecting the Sternce 

 already noticed with the following group of medium-sized to large 

 Crested Sea-Terns. 



Hob. Atlantic and North Sea coasts from the Orkneys southward 

 to the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Caspian (breeding) ; 

 in winter along the West coast of Africa to the Cape of Good Hope 

 and up to Natal, down the Red Sea and across Mesopotamia to the 

 Persian Gulf, Mekran coast, and Karachi. East side of America from 

 Southern New England to British Honduras, not breeding to the 



