NATATORES. 413 



Sp. 613. ANGUS STOLIDUS. 



Noddy Tern. 



Passe?' stultus, Ray, Syn. 154. 

 . Sterna stolida. Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 805. 

 Gaira fusca, Briss. Orn., torn. vi. p. 199. tab. 18. fig. 2. 

 La Mouette brune, Buff. PI. Enl., 997. 

 Noddi/ Tern, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. x. p. 104. 



Anous niger, Stepb. Cont. of Shawns Geo. Zool., vol. xiii. p. 140. pi. 17. 

 Megalopterus stolidus, Boie. 



Le Noddi noir, Cuv. Regn. Anim., torn. i. p. 523. 

 Anov^ stolidus, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 100. 

 leucoceps. Swains. 



Anous stolidus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii. pi. 34. 



If the present bird be identical with the Sterna stolida of 

 the older writers, then the range of the species over the 

 temperate and warmer parts of the ocean must be almost 

 universal ; but it will be seen that although the Noddies of 

 the northern and southern hemispheres are very much alike, 

 considerable variation is found to exist in their modes of 

 nidification and the season at which that duty is performed ; 

 a difference is also found in the number and colouring of 

 their eggs, those inhabiting the northern hemisphere being 

 said to lay three, and those inhabiting the southern only one. 

 Mr. Coues, after instituting a most careful and minute com- 

 parison of the American and Pacific birds, is still undecided 

 as to whether they are or are not different. " If," says he, 

 " the Pacific bird be really distinct, it has probably yet to 

 receive a name, for it is very different from the various spe- 

 cies of A710US mostly described by Mr. Gould. In that event 

 it may be called Anous frater " ; but, rather than unnecessarily 

 multiply the number of specific appellations, I prefer for the 

 present at least to describe the Australian bird under the old 

 name of stolidus. 



"The Noddy and an allied species" {A. melanops), says 



