180 LAEID^. 



Nests ^- Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 310 (1890) ; Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. 

 XXV. p. 43 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hmid-l. i. p. 134 (1899). 



The eggs of the Black-bellied Tern are broad, pointed ovals. The 

 ground varies from cream-colour to buff, sometimes tinged with 

 very pale green. The markings are small and consist of specks, 

 streaks and spots of yellowish brown, chocolate-brown and, in some 

 cases, of black. These are somewhat sparingly distributed over the 

 whole shell. The underlying markings are large, conspicuous, and 

 of a pale purple colour. Two examples in the Collection are of a 

 plain, unspotted, pale blue. Specimens vary from 1-1 to 1-5 in 

 length, and from -88 to 1*02 in breadth. 



Sterna forsteri, INutt. 



(Plate XIII. fig. 4.) 



Sterna forsteri, Baird, Breiver 8( Ridgw. Water Birds N. Am. ii. p. 292 

 (1884) ; Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 46 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 B.and-1. i. p. 134 (1899). 



The eggs of Eorster's Tern are of a regular but somewhat narrow 

 oval form. The ground is of a pale greyish green or pale buff 

 colour, and this is pretty thickly and evenly marked with spots and 

 blotches of dark blackish brown and underlying pale purple. They 

 measure from 1-65 to 1-76 in length, and from 1-13 to 1-2.5 in 

 breadth. 



North America {H. E. I>resser). 

 North America {T. M. Breicer). 

 Shoal Lake (D. Ounn : Smiths. 



hist.). 

 Cobbs Island, Virginia, June. 

 Cobbs Island, June. 

 Cobbs Island, June. 

 Cobbs Island, June. 

 Cobbs Island, 21st June. 

 Cobbs Island, 21st June. 

 Cobbs Island, 25th June. 

 Cobbs Island, 25th June. 

 Cobbs Island, 2oth June. 



Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 Salvin-Godman Coll. 



W. E. D. Scott, Esq. [C.].' 



Z^ 



K 



