STEJJNA VITTATA. 



17 



STERNA VITTATA, Gin. 



JVrcathed Tern, Latham, Gen. Syn. iii, pf. ii, p. 359, No. 11. 

 Sterna vittata, Gmelin, Sj'st. Nat. i, 1788, p. G09. 



Latham, Ind. Oru. ii, 1790, p. 807, No. 12. 



Gray, Gen. B. iii, 1849, p. 659. 



Bonaparte, Coniptes Rend, xlii, 1856, p. 772. 



Pelzeln, Orn. Novara Eeise, 1865, p. 152 (very full account). 

 Stei-na alhistriata, Gray, Voy. Erebus and Terror, pi. 21. 

 JSydrochcUdon {Pelodes) albistriata, Gray, Handlist, iii, p. 122, No. 11078. 



The fine series of this Tern collected by Dr. Kidder agrees minutely with specimens 

 from New Zealand in the Smithsonian, identified with albistriata of Gray by myself 

 some time since. It is a true Sterna, with a close general resemblance to S. arctica or 

 macrura of authors; with very long and deeply-forked tail, white or nearly so : the 

 whole body pearl-gray, not apparently paler below than above, but fading into pure 

 white along the sides of the black cap, giving the appearance of a white stripe on each 

 side of the head; bill and feet coral-red. 



But there appears to be an earlier name for this species, in the S. xnttata of Gmelin, 

 based on the " Wreathed Tern" of Latham, from Christmas Island. The descriptions 

 of both these authors apply i^erfectly well to the specimens in hand; and these are 

 evidently the same as that described in detail by Pelzeln, I. c, who figures the egg (pi. 

 vi,fig. 14). Pelzeln quotes the species from Kerguelen (Mus. Brit.), St. Paul Island (Exp. 

 Novara), New Zealand (Mus. Vindob.), and Cape of Good Hope. Gray does not give 

 vittata in the "Handlist" — a circumstance tending to confirm my conviction that his 

 albistriata is the same bird. Besides the two names above quoted, there are some others 

 of partial pertinence, or supposed applicability to this Tern, which may be regarded us 

 the antarctic representative of S. macrura, as the Biqihagus of this region is of the true 

 JB. skua, or Larus dominicanus of L. marinus. — C. 



List of specimens, with measurements. 



Bill coral-red; 

 Iris very dark-blue. 



Head black-capi^ed ; a line of white feathers along lower margin of 

 upper mandible extending backward one-half inch j a white streak 



