THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 177 

 STERNA ANAETHETA MELANOPTERA Swainson 

 BRIDLED TERN 



Sterna melanoptera Swainson, Birds W. Africa, vol. 2, 1837, p. 249 (West 

 Africa ) . 



Sterna anosthaeta, Tippenhauer, Die Insel Haiti, 1S92, p. 323 (listed). 



Sterna anaetheta melanoptera, Lonnberg, Fauna cell Flora, 1929, p. 100 

 (Navassa, specimen). — Moltoni, Att. Soc. Ital. Scienz. Nat., vol. 6S, 1929, p. 314 

 (Seven Brothers group, specimens). 



Melanosterna anaetheta recognita, Ekman, Ark. for Bot., vol. 22 A, No. 16, 

 p. 6, 1929 (Navassa, breeding). 



Sterna anaetheta recognita, Ekman, Est. Agr. Moca, Ser. B., Bot., No. 17, 

 January, 1930, pp. 11, 12, 13 (Monte Grande, Tercero, Ratas, breeding). 



Tippenhauer includes the bridled tern in his list without stating 

 reason for his action. Lonnberg records one from Navassa Island 

 taken by E. L. Ekman, which he writes us was collected in October, 

 1928. Wetmore and Bond were told that at certain times of the 

 year eggs of seabirds were found in abundance on the little islands 

 of the Seven Brothers group off Monte Cristi toward Cap-Ha'itien 

 which suggested that there was a tern colony in that group. In 

 February, 1929, Poole and Perrygo visited the islands in question 

 to determine if possible what birds nested there but found that they 

 were too earty in the season as the bird colonies were deserted. 

 On Tercero Island they secured quantities of skulls and other bones 

 which on identification in Washington prove to be those of the bridled 

 tern. The season of nesting from available information seems to come 

 from May to July. Ciferri obtained two specimens of this tern in 

 the Seven Brothers group in July, 1929, where they are reported by 

 Ekman from Monte Grande, Tercero, and Ratas. 



This species breeds in the colonies of seabirds that frequent Mona 

 and Desecheo Islands and as it is seen occasionally along the western 

 coast of Porto Rico should come also to the adjacent shores of the 

 Dominican Republic. 



The bridled tern is easily distinguished among other terns by its 

 sooty black wings and crown, slaty back, and white forehead, the 

 line of white extending back on either side above the eye, and white 

 underparts. 



STERNA FUSCATA FUSCATA Linnaeus 

 SOOTY TERN 



Sterna fuscata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 228 (Santo 

 Domingo =Hispaniola) . 



Sterna fuscu Brisson, Ornith., vol. 6, 1760, pp. 220-222, pi. 21, fig. 1. 

 (" S. Domingue.") 



Sterna fuliginosa, Ritteb, Naturh. Reis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1836, p. 157 

 (specimen). — Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 11, May, 1867, p. 98 



