STERNA MEDIA.—S. CASPIA. Sit 
STERNA MEDIA, Horsfield. 
[§ 4503. Zwo.—Island near Arabé, Persian Gulf. From 
Colonel Butler, through Mr. Howard Saunders, 1879. 
Mr. Eugene Oates, in the second edition of Mr. Hume’s ‘ Nests and Eggs of 
Indian Birds’ (iii. p. 299), says that Colonel Butler wrote of the nidification 
of this species that he had received a magnificent series of its eggs “ from an 
island close to the Island of Arabé in the Persian Gulf in 1878, numbering 
about 400. They are in character a good deal like the eggs of Sterna bergiz, but 
of course considerably smaller.” A long aud minute description of their 
appearance, by My. Oates, follows the above note. | 
STERNA CASPIA, Pallas. 
CASPIAN TERN. 
§ 4504. One.—From M. Nager-Donazain, 1847. 
This egg, I should have thought, might be a Common Gull’s, as it 
is marked in the same handwriting as the Sterna leucopareta [§ 4384 , 
Larus leucopterus, and L. glaucus [sent at the same time]; but 
Mr. Hancock saw it in London, and at a first glance assured me it 
was that of Sterna caspia, appealing to Mr. Hewitson who was stand - 
ing by, and he confirmed what Mr. Hancock said. This last is the 
great importer of Caspian Terns’ eggs (vide ‘ Eegs of British Birds’). 
§ 4505. Fifteen.—Syit, 1855. From Dr. Kjerbolling, 1856. 
§ 4506. Zen.—Sylt. From Dr. Kjerbélling, 1857. 
Of the last year or two’s taking. If I remember right, none were 
of the present year, for Dr. Kjzerbolling said that the Terns had been 
expelled from their breeding-place this year by a number of Richard- 
son’s Skuas. The bird lays three eggs on bare sand, on highish 
ground about fifty yards from the Western Ocean. 
[§ 4507. One—From Dr. Frere’s collection, through Mr. 
Powys, 1855. 
This ege, given to us by Mr. Powys (Lord Lilford), bears one of Dr. Frere’s 
tickets, and I doubt not that it was received by the latter, most likely through 
Herr Brandt of Hamburg, from one of the Cimbric localities. } 
