HYDROCHELIDON. 719 



Sub-Family, STERNIN^:. Bp. 



Bill long or moderate, entire, straight, compressed and pointed ; the lower 

 landible angled ; nostrils longitudinal ; wing long and pointed ; tail short and 

 even, or long and forked ; tarsus short and slender ; toes short, webbed. 



The common residence of this Family is the sea shore, mouths or banks of 

 large rivers and lakes. They are always in large flocks, and especially so in 

 breeding season. 



They continue long on the wing, and are quick in all their evolutions, darting 

 upon their finny prey, rising in the air, or gliding along near the surface of 

 the water. They are commonly divided as Marsh, River, Sea, and Oceanic 

 Terns, according to their habits and structure. 



Gen. Hydrochelidon. Boie. 



Bill rather long, slender, gently arched on the culmen ; gonys with the 

 ascending portion short ; tail short, slightly forked ; feet not fully webbed. 



1424. Hydrochelidon hybrida, Pall., Zoogr. Ross. Asiat. ii. 



p. 388 ; Oates, Str. F. iii. p. 348. Sterna Javanica, Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc. 

 xiii. p. 198. Hydrochelidon Indica, Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 837 ; Hume, Nests 

 and Eggs, Ind. B. p. 648. Sterna innotata, Beavan, Ibis, 1868, p. 404. 

 Hydrochelidon hybrida, Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 372; Saunders, P. Z. S. 

 1876, p. 640; Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 315, pi. ; Legge, Birds of Ceylon, 

 p. 996; Oates, B. Br. Burm. p. ii. p. 419. The WHISKERED TERN. 



Forehead, crown, nape and back of neck glossy black ; lores and chin white ; 

 throat and breast pale bluish ash ; abdomen dusky ; under tail coverts white, 

 also the edge of the wing ; mantle, wings, upper tail coverts and tail bluish 

 ash ; external tail feathers white ; under wing coverts white ; bill lake red ; 

 irides brown; legs and feet dull red. 



Length. H to 13 inches; wing 8-5 to 975 ; tail 375 to 4-5; bill at front 

 i'S 



Hal. Throughout India, Burmah and Ceylon, affecting lakes and the 

 sea coast. 



1425. Hydrochelidon leuCOptera (Meisn and Schinz.), Dresser, 

 B. Eur. viii. p. 321, pi. ; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 641 ; Hume, Str. F. 

 viii., p. 115; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 1,000. Hydrochelidon nigra (Linn.), 

 apud. Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 372. Sterna leucoptera, Meisn and Schinz., Vog. 

 Schweiz. p. 264. The WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN. 



Head, neck, back, scapulars, innermost secondaries and entire under parts, 

 (except the under tail coverts which are white) deep glossy black ; primary 

 quills, blackish grey, fading to greyish white on the outer portions of the 



