KHYNCHOPS. 201 



very pale buff, and is sometimes tinged with pink. The markings 

 consist of spots and blotches of most irregular shape, and two or 

 more are often confluent, forming a huge patch. Most of the 

 markings are blackish brown, frequently turning to pale chestnut 

 or red at the edges ; some are entirely reddish brown. The under- 

 lying markings are of an inky-purple colour and are of the same 

 size and disposition as the surface-markings. The eggs measure 

 from I'G to 1"95 in length, and from 1'2 to 1'35 in breadth. 



1. North America (Smiths. Inst.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



2. North America {T. M. Brewer). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



3. Cobbs Island, V^irginia, lotb June. W. E. D. Scott, Esq. [C.]. ] 

 2. Cobbs Island, 17tb June. „ „ 

 2. Cobbs Island, 20th June. „ „ 



2. Cobbs Island, 20th June. „ „ 

 1. Cobbs Island, 2.3rd June. „ „ 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. „ „ 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. „ „ 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd .lune. „ „ 



3. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. „ „ 



1. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. ,, „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27tli June. „ „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 



3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 



4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 

 4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. ,, ,, 

 4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th .Tune. „ „ 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 



2. Cobbs Island, 27th June. „ „ 



2. Cobbs Island, 28th June. 



3. Cobbs Island, 28th June. „ „ 

 2. Cape Charles, Virginia, 18th June. „ „ 



2. Cape Charles, 18th June. „ „ 



3. Florida. Sir Richard Owen [P.]. 



Rhyncliops melanura, Sivaim. 



(Plate XV. fig. 9.) 



Rhynchops melanura, 6'cl. Sf- Salv. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 201 ; Saunders, 

 Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 156 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 138 

 (1899). 



The eggs of the Black-tailed Skimmer are of a broad oval form, 

 short and rounded. The ground is of a pale buff colour, and this 

 is spotted and blotched all over with chocolate-brown and underlying 

 pale purple. Eleven specimens measure from 1'55 to 1"S in length, 

 and from 1-25 to 1-4 in breadth. 



II. Ucayali River, Upper Amazonia Saunders Coll. 

 (E. Bartlett). 



