SHORT-FOOTED TERN. 



Bill and feet red ; tail white, deeply forked ; wings eleven 

 inches long) and shorter than the tail ; tarsus half an inch. 



OF this species the only specimen we have yet seen 

 is in the British Museum, where it was pointed out 

 to us some years ago as a native of Western Africa. 

 Its general size is that of S. melanoptera, and it is 

 distinguished from all the other black capped species 

 resembling S. hirundo^ by its very short tarsus, 

 which, from notes then made, only measures half 

 an inch. Not having a second specimen to examine, 

 we subjoin the description of that before alluded to. 



General colour cinereous, both above and below, 

 but paler and nearly white on the chin ; upper and 

 under tail-covers pure white ; tail the same, but the 

 outer web of the two external feathers is deep 

 cinereous, almost sooty black. Quills blackish ci- 

 nereous, the shafts pure white, with the inner web 

 half cinereous, half white; bill red; feet orange; 

 tail one inch longer than the quills. 



Total length, 15 inches ; bill, from the gape, 1^ ; 

 from the front, 1^ ; wings, 11 ; tail, from the base, 

 6 j depth of the fork, 4^ ; tarsus, J. 



