STERNIN &. 429 
Sterna seena, Sykes. 
985.—Seena auwrantia, Gray.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. IT, 
p. 838; Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 32; 
Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 440; Murray’s_ Verte- 
brate Zoology of Sind, p. 323; Swinhoe and Barnes, Cen- 
tral India ; Ibis, 1885, p. 135. 
THE LarGE River TERN. 
Length, 15 to 16; expanse, 34; wing, 11; tail, 7:5; tarsus, 
1; bill at front, 1°5. 
Bill bright deep yellow ; irides brown ; legs red. 
Whole head above glossy-black; upper plumage pale grey; 
tail with the lateral feathers white ; whole lower plumage white, 
the flanks tinged with ashy. 
The Large River Tern (with the exception perhaps of the 
Deccan, where its occurrence appears doubtful), occurs more or 
less commonly in the cold season throughout the district. <A 
few at all events remain to breed, as I have found eggs, both 
in Sind and Central India, during April and May. They are 
deposited in slight depressions in the sandy bed or banks of 
rivers ; there is no nest. The eggs, four in number, are broadish 
ovals in shape, and are of a buffy or greenish stone color, spotted 
and streaked, more especially at the larger end, with deep brown 
and underlying spots of pale inky-purple. 
They measure 1°65 inches in length by about 1:25 in breadth. 
Sterna melanogastra, Tem, 
987.—S. javanica, Hors—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. II, 
p. 840 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 440; 
Murray’s Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 323; Swinhoe and 
Barnes, Central India ; Ibis, 1885, p. 138. 
THE BLACK-BELLIED TERN. 
Length, 12 ; expanse, 26 ; wing, 9; tail, 6; tarsus, 1; bill at 
front, 1°48. 
Bill orange-yellow ; irides brown ; legs and feet vermilion red. 
Head and nape black ; neck, mantle, wings and tail, light-grey ; 
face, lores and ear-coverts, white ; chin and throat white ; neck 
and breast light pearl-grey ; abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts 
brown-black. 
In winter plumage the head is mixed with dusky, and the 
abdomen is pearly-grey instead of black. 
The Black-bellied Tern is a more or less common permanent 
resident throughout the region. Major Butler does not appear to 
have met with it in Northern Guzerat, but I cannot help thinking 
that he has passed over it. They breed during March and April, 
depositing their eggs in mere depressions in the sand, close to 
the water. The eggs, three or four in number, are moderately 
oval in shape, of a buffy ground color, spotted and streaked with 
purplish-brown. They measure 1°33 by 0°99. 
