S2 LARID^. 



^ Buckler/, Ibis, 1872, p. 293 (Accra & Cape Coast Castle) ; L-bi/, 



Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 209 (1875). 

 Sterna elegans, Leot. Ois. Trinid. p. 542 (1866). 

 Thalasseiis galericulatus, Blasius, J.f. O. 1866, p. 82. 

 Sterna (Thalasseus) regia, Coves, B. N.- West, p. 669 (1874) ; id. 



Key N. Amer. B. 2nd ed. p. 759 (1884). 

 Thalasseus maximus, Lmvr. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. iv. p. 51 (1876 : 



Tehuantepec). 

 Phaethusa maxima, Heine Sf Reichenow, Nomencl. Mus. Hein. p. 355 



(1890). 



Adult in hrecding-plvmafie. Foreliead, upper lores, crown, and 

 nape black, the feathers of the last acuminate and prolonged ; neck 

 white ; mantle pearl-grey, with a conspicuous line of white along 

 the carpal joint ; L^hafts of quills white ; outer webs of primaries 

 grey, the outermost darkest ; inner webs grey next the shafts and 

 towards the tips, as well as for some distance up the inner webs, 

 which have otherwise a white wedge on the upper parts : the ex- 

 ti eme inner edges narrowly margined with white ; secondaries 

 edged with white, but not very conspicuously ; rump pale pearl- 

 grey; tail-feathers pearl-white, the streamers moderately long; 

 underparts white : bill orange-red, tarsi and toes black. Total 

 length 21 inches, culmen 2-7, wing 14-5, tail 8, depth of fork 3'75, 

 tarsus 1*35, middle toe with claw 1'4. The male appears to have 

 longer streamers and a stronger bill than the female, but otherwise 

 there are no external differences. 



Adult in autumn and ivinter. Similar, but the forehead and the 

 crown mottled with white ; in fact the forehead has become nearly 

 white by June — as in S. cantiaca ; bill paler in colour. 



Immature. Similar, but the crown nearly white and the nape black 

 and white ; a good deal of grey or brownish grey, according to age, 

 on the t^ing-doverts and inner secondaries, as well as towards the 

 tips of the tail-feathers. In the latter some grey remains for 

 several seasons, but I do not think that thoroughly mature birds 

 reassume any grey in winter. 



Young. Similar, but with brownish-black streaks on the lores and 

 forehead ; mantle darker and considerably checquered with ash-grey; 

 rump with grey striations ; primaries iron-grey, except the wedges ; 

 tail-feathers dark grey towards the extremities ; bill, tarsi, and toes 

 dull yellow. 



Hah. America, from the New England States southward, breeding 

 from Virginia to the West Indies ; also down to Santa Catharina, 

 South Brazil, and perhaps even to the Parana ; on the West side from 

 Peru to California, and in Nevada. West African coast in winter, 

 from the Straits of Gibraltar to Angola. 



a. Imm. st. Cape Roni, West Africa, Sir E. Sabine, K.A. 



Feb. 1822. [P.]. 



h. Yix ad. sk. Gambia {S. a-istata, Sw.). Gov. Rendall Coll. 



c. Imm. sk. Accra, West Africa ( G. ^. H. Saunders Coll. 



Shelleii). 



d. Ad. sk. Accra {G. E. S.). Shelley CoU. 

 £. cJ ad. sk. Cape Coast Castle, Feb. Shelley CoU. 



(G.KS.). 



