STERNA. 19S 



The eggs of the White-shafted Little Tern do not differ in any 

 respect from those of S. minuta described below. 



S.E. Ceylon, 30tb June. 

 Yokohama (//. Fryer). 



Saunders Coll. 

 Seebohm Coll. 



Sterna minuta, Linn. 



Sterna minuta, Thien. Forfpfianz. ges. Vog. tab. Ixxxv. fig. 3 a-f (1845- 

 54) ; Baedeker, Eier Eur. Viif/. tab. 7. fig. 3 (1855-63) ; tleioitsm,, 

 Eyps of Brit. Birds, ii. p. 484, pi. cxxxiv. fig. i (185G) ; Dresser, 

 Birds Eur. viii. p. 279 (1876) ; Seebohm, Brit. Birds, iii. p. 289, 

 pi. 46 (1885) ; id. Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 103, pi. 29. figs. 2, 6 

 (1896) ; Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 116 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l. i. p. 136 (1899). 



Sternula minuta, Saimders, Ibis, 1871, p. 399. 



Sterna sinensis, Oates ed. Rume, Nests ^ Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 312, part. 

 (1890). 



The eggs of the Little Tern are of an oval shape, but decidedlj' 

 pointed at the small end. The ground varies from very pale cream- 

 colour to drab or buff, and this is rather thickly marked with spots 

 and blotches of different shades of dark brown. The markings are 

 generally bold, and some of the blotches are of large size. The 

 underlying markings are of a pale inky-purple and are usually well 

 developed. The dimensions vary from 1*15 to 1-3 in length, and 

 from '85 to 1-05 in breadth. 



