300 BIEDS OF EGYPT. 



Summer plumage. — Upper part of the head and nape 

 black ; entire plumage, including the inner webs of the quills, 

 grey, shading into white on the throat, cheeks, ear-coverts, and 

 towards the extremities of the tail-feathers ; the exterior web 

 of the first primary and outer tail-feathers dusky ; beak and 

 legs coral-red ; irides dark brown. 



Entire length 15 inches; culmen r4; wing, carpus to tip, 

 11 ; tarsus 0*6. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 419. 



328. Sterna minuta (Linn.). Lesser Tern. 



This small Tern is a winter visitor, but appears to be of 

 rare occurrence in Egypt ; for I have only seen one specimen 

 from that country, which was shot by Mr. Baird on the Nile, 

 and is now in his collection. 



A streak extending from the lores over the eye, top of the 

 head, and nape black ; back and wings pearl-grey ; outer 

 primaries dusky ; remainder of the plumage white ; beak 

 yellow, tipped with black ; legs orange ; irides dark brown. 



Entire length 8'7 inches; culmen 1"3; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 7 ; tarsus 0'7. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 420. 



329. Hydrochelidon fissipes (Linn.). Black Tern. 



Von Heuglin (Syst. Ueb. p. 71) says that this Tern is met 

 with on the Nile. 



Head, neck, and breast dusky black, shading into slate- 

 colour on the upper parts and on the abdomen ; vent and 



