on the Birds of St. Croix. 371 



not, I do not know. The flight of a Phaeton does not resemble 

 that of any sea-bird I am acquainted with ; its chief peculiarity 

 consists in the regular and rather rapid strokes of the wing, 

 without, as far as I could see, any intermission/' — A. N. 



"I saw the first Tropic Bird on my outward voyage in 1858, 

 February 27th, our position at noon on that day being lat. 

 29^ 22' N., long. 42° 42' W."— E. N. 



t 59. [?] Black Skimmer. Rhynchops nigra, L. ; Wils. pi. 

 60. fig. 4 ; Aud. pi. 433. ' 



"On June 14th, 1858, between St. Thomas and St. Croix, a 

 bird, 1 believe of this species, passed close to the vessel I was 

 in ; I could see its ))lack back and white belly distinctly." — 

 E. N. 



t 60. [?] Sooty Tern. Onychoprion fuUginosus (Gmel.). 

 Sternal fuliginosa, Gmel. ; Wils. pi. 72. fig. 7 ; Aud. pi. 432 ; 

 Yarr. B. B. 3rd edit. iii. p. 543, fig. 



"Towards the end of May, 1857, 1 saw about midway between 

 St. Thomas and St. Croix several birds which appeared to me 

 to be of this species." — A. N. 



Mr. Osbert Salvin informs us that on the 29th of May last 

 (1859), when passing along the south side of Tortola and St. 

 John's, he saw a good many of these birds. They came close to 

 the ship, and he could make them out quite well. At the same 

 time he also saw some Noddies [Anous stolidus, Leach), which 

 species probably occurs about St, Croix as well. 



t 61. Royal Tern. Thalasseus regius, Gambel. Sterna 

 cayana, Aud. pi. 429. 



In 1854 we received from St. Croix a specimen apparently 

 of the species above cited, which had been killed in the island ; 

 and round its shores we have not unfrequently seen Terns 

 flying, which, from their size, we should judge to be the same 

 as that example. 



t 62. Laughing Gull. Chrmcocephalus atricilla (L.). Larus 

 ridibundus, Wils. pi. 74. fig. 4. L. atricilla, Aud. pi. 443 ; 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. ; Yarr. B. B. iii. p. 439. 



We have often seen a small Gull with a dark hood about St. 



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