STERNA. ISO' 



blurred at the margin, where they turn to reddish brown. They 

 are of every possible size and shape, varying from specks to large 

 blotches, smears and clouds. A characteristic of the eggs of this 

 Tern are the hieroglyphic-like lines and scrawls which are found on 

 a majority of the specimens. As in the case of the eggs of other 

 Terns, some are very sparingly marked and a few are quite un- 

 marked. They measure from 2-3 to 2-71 in length, and from 1"6 

 to 1"8 in breadth. 



Sterna frontalis, Graij. 

 (Plate XIV. fig. 6.) 



Sterna melanorhvncha, Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 398 (1865) ; 

 Campbell, Ne.«fs S,- Er/f/s Austr. Birds, p. 66 (1883). 



Sterna frontalis, Bul/er, Birds New Zeal. 2nd ed. ii. p. 68 (1888) ; North, 

 Nests ^' Egffs Atistr. Birds, p. 403 (1889); Saunders, Cat. Birds 

 B. M. XXV. p. 97 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 136 (1899). 



The eggs of the White-fronted Tern in the Collection are of a 

 regular oval form and of an olive-buff colour of different shades, 

 speckled and blotched with dark umber-brown and underlying pale 

 purple. The markings are small and distinct and are equally 

 spread over the whole shell. Five specimens measure respectively : 

 1-8 by 1-27 ; 1-87 by 1-3 ; 2 by 1-44 ; 1-73 by 1-25 ; 1-76 by 1-26. 



3. New Zealand. Dr. Lyall [P.]. 



2. Bird and Piper's Islands* N.E. Voy. H.M.S. 'Rattlesnake.' 

 Australia (.7. Macgillivray). 



Sterna aleiitica, Bahxl. 



(Plate XIV. fig. 9.) 



Sterna aleutica, Baird, Brewer ^- Ridgw. Water Birds N. Am. ii. p. 307 

 (1884) ; Nelson, Beport Nat. Hist. Alaska, p. 59 (1887) : Samiders, 

 Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 98 (1896); Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 136 

 (1899). 



* Tills species is not included iu the list of birds given by Macgillivray itt 

 the Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. ' Eattlesnake.' 



