— 104 — 



Length about 15 inclies. Upper parts sooty brown with an 

 ashy grey wash. Upper tail coverts and tail brown. Outer 

 tail feathers white. Crown of head and nape black ; a white 

 frontal band extending back over the eye ; a black streak from 

 the base of the bill to the eye. Under parts, cheeks and ear 

 coverts white. Bill, legs and feet black. Sexes alike. 



Young birds are browner, and are mottled above with 

 dull rufous. 



405. Common Tern. Sterna hirundo Linnaeus. 



Sterna fluviadlis. Shelley, p. 299. 



Common during the autumn migration on the sea coasts 

 and frequently ascending the Nile. 



In spring it appears to be of much rarer occurrence. 



Length about 15 inches. Crown and nape black. Mantle 

 and wing coverts pale pearl grey. Rump, upper tail coverts 

 and tail white, the last washed with grey. Primaries black, 

 frosted with grey on outer web. Inner web whitish, with a 

 greyish black streak next the shaft, this streak narrow at base 

 of quill and gradually broadening until it covers the entire tips 

 of the feathers. Under parts pale lavender grey, except the 

 chin, throat and under tail coverts, and under wing coverts, 

 which are pure white. Bill and feet coral red, the former with a 

 black tip. 



Young birds have dark brown bills and feet. The forehead 

 is white and the upper parts are mottled with umber brown. 

 Under parts pure white. 



Tail always forked, the outer tail feathers elongated. 



406. Arctic Tern. Sterna paradisea Briinnich. 



Sterna hirundo. Shelley, p. 299. 



The Arctic tern is, as far as is known at present, only a rare 

 visitor to Egypt. Von Heuglin mentions having collected 

 specimens on the north coast of Egypt. 



In size and coloration very similar to the common tern. 

 The hill, however, is ivholly red, the tarsus is shorter than that 

 of the common tern, the breast and belly are darker. At all 

 ages this species may be distinguished from the common tern, 

 when in the hand, by the dark stripe on the inner web of the 

 first primary being paler and narrower than that of the common 

 tern and extending practically without broadening out to the 

 tip of the feather. 



