178 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



(Haiti).— Cory, Birds Haiti and San Domingo, March, 1885, pp. 181-182 

 (recorded) ; Cat. West Indian Birds, 1892, p. 83 (Haiti, Dominican Republic). — 

 Tippenhauer, Die Insel Haiti, 1892, pp. 318, 323 (listed). 



Sterna fuscata, Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1928, p. 

 497 (questionably identified, Gonave Channel). — Danforth, Auk, 1929, p. 365 

 (Puerto Plata, Saona Island, Mole St. Nicolas). 



Recorded ; status not certain, but a breeding species. 



The scientific name of the sooty tern is based on Brisson's de- 

 scription of a bird in juvenal dress sent by Chervain from " S. 

 Domingue " to de Reaumur. From the figure and description the 

 specimen was very young and can not have been long on the wing, 

 indication that it came from a breeding colony somewhere along the 

 coast of Hispaniola. Ritter lists a specimen of this species in his 

 collection made in 1820-1821. Cory writes that this bird is found 

 without giving definite localities. Danforth reports that the sooty 

 tern was seen by Emlen at Puerto Plata June 30, and off the eastern 

 coast of Santo Domingo July 1, and by Mathews off Saona Island 

 June 14, and off Mole St. Nicolas July 27, 1927. The species is 

 known to breed in the Bahama Islands and on the island of Mona 

 east of the Dominican Republic. It is found only along the sea. 



The sooty tern is black above and white below, differing from the 

 bridled tern in darker back and in restriction of white on the fore- 

 head which does not extend back over the eye. 



STERNA ALBIFRONS ANTILLARUM (Lesson) 

 LEAST TERN, PIGEON DE MEE, 



Sternula antillarum Lesson, Compl. Oeuvres Buffon, vol. 20, 1847, p. 256 

 (Guadeloupe Island, West Indies). 



Sterna antillarum, Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 11, May, 1867, 

 p. 98 (Haiti).— Cory, Birds Haiti and San Domingo, March, 1885, pp. 179-180 

 (listed) ; Cat. West Indian Birds, 1892, p. 83 (Haiti, Dominican Republic).— 

 TrppENHAUER, Die Insel Haiti, 1892, pp. 31S, 323 (listed). 



Sterna albifrons antillarum, Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 

 80, 1928, p. 497 (Fort Liberie, Etang Saumatre, Lake Enriquillo, Gonave 

 Island). — Danforth, Auk, 1929, p. 365 (Monte Cristi, Les Salines, Saona 

 Island). 



A breeding species; probably resident. 



There are few definite records for the least tern in the Dominican 

 Republic. Abbott recorded it at Saona Island from September 12 

 to 18, 1919, and earlier took one, now in the Academj^ of Natural 

 Sciences, at La Cafiita (Sanchez) July 13, 1883. Bond found it on 

 Lake Enriquillo. 



In Haiti Bryant in 1863 includes it in his list without comment. 

 Cory in his Birds of Haiti and San Domingo says of it " common 

 in summer and probably breeds " but gives no localities for either 

 republic. 



