STERNA. 91 
clouded with olive toward base; feet and tarsi blackish. Wing, 344; tail, 
178; tarsus, 28; culmen, 62.” (Bangs.) 
“Very common throughout the group, especially abundant about the 
‘native fish-pens.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 
This is much the largest tern found in the Philippines. Rather local 
in its distribution but usually found not far from fish-corrals or where 
schools of small fishes appear near the surface of the water. 
Philippine records of this species are usually recorded under Sterna 
bergti, but the specimens probably belong to the variety S. bergu boreotis. 
The question can not be cleared up at present. 
81. STERNA ANAESTHETA Scopoli. 
PANAYAN TERN, 
Sterna anestheta Scopont, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. (1786), 1, 92; 
SAUNDERS, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 25, 101; SHarpre, Hand-List 
(1899), 1, 186; Oates, Cat Birds’ Eggs (1901), 1, 190; McGrercor 
and WoRCESTER, Hand-List (1906), 20. Worcester, Phil. Jour. Sci. 
(1907), 2, sec. A, 275, pl. 1 (nesting place). 
Didicas Rocks (Worcester); Panay (Sonnerat). African and Indian seas 
to China, Japan, Moluccas, northern Australian, Pacific Islands; Gulf of Mexico, 
Western Indies. 
“Adult in breeding plumage.—Loral stripe black; upper forehead, 
crown, and nape black; shoulders slate-gray, passing into dark grayish 
brown on mantle; no visible white on secondaries ; primaries umber-brown, 
shafts black, the ‘wedges’ on inner webs very narrow and not sharply 
defined ; rump and principal tail-feathers grayish brown like the mantle, 
but the streamers white on outer and upper portions of inner webs, and 
the next pair of rectrices whitish at their bases; abdomen and breast 
grayish white ; under wing-coverts and throat pure white. Bill, tarsi, and 
toes black, the inner webs of the latter considerably excised. Length, 355 
to 380; culmen, 45; wing, 262; tail, 190; depth of fork, 102; tarsus, 20; 
middle toe with claw, 30. The sexes are alike in plumage. 
“Adult in winter plumage.—Similar to the above, but the lores and 
crown mottled with white for a short time. 
“Immature.—Generally similar, but with more white on the head; 
whitish tips to the feathers of the back, which, when fresh, are somewhat 
gray; a dark line along upper wing-coverts, and less white on outer 
rectrices. Full plumage is not attained until the bird is at least two 
years old. 
“Young.—Head streaked and mottled with brownish black; feathers of 
upper parts dark brown with rufous tips, which subsequently become 
paler, approaching white, and finally wear away; under parts grayish 
white. Bill and toes brownish.” (Sauwnders.) 
