720 LARID^E. 



inner webs, except on the terminal portion shafts of the feathers white ; 

 secondaries light french grey ; lesser wing covers, edge of the wing, tail, and 

 upper tail coverts white ; larger coverts french grey ; under wing coverts 

 black and blackish grey ; edge of the wing mottled with white. Bill reddish 

 black ; irides dark brown ; legs and feet vermilion red, with a coral tinge. 



In winter the forehead and crown are white, nape and occiput dark grey, 

 also the back and scapulars ; rump and upper tail coverts pale greyish white ; 

 throat, foreneck, under tail coverts, and under wing coverts white ; a black 

 spot in front of the eye ; breast greyish. 



Length. 9-5 inches; tail 3 ; wing 8-2; tarsus 075 ; bill from gape 1-25. 



Hab. Throughout India, Burmah and Ceylon, affecting lakes, rivers and 

 sea-coasts. 



1426. Hydrochelidon nigra, Linn., Syst. Nat. i. p. 226; 



Hume, Sir. F. vii. pp. 445, 446. The BLACK TERN. 



Head, neck, breast and under parts as far as the thighs black; lower 

 abdomen and vent pale ash ; upper plumage, including the wings and tail, 

 dark hoary plumbeous ; outermost feathers of tail white exteriorly ; legs and 

 feet crimson ; claws black ; bill black. 



Length. 10 inches; tail 3 ; wing 8*2 ; bill 1*25. 

 Hab. Sind and Persian Gulf. 



Gen. GelOChelidon. Linn. 



Nostrils with plumes reaching the opening; first quill of wing longest; tail 

 forked ; tarsus rather long ; bill moderate ; culmen slightly curved and with 

 projecting gony or angle. 



1427. Gelochelidon anglica (Mont.}, Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 836; 



Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 371; Blyth, B. Burnt, p. 163: Hume, Sir. F. vi. 

 p. 491. Sterna anglica, Mont., Orn. Viet. SuppL Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, 

 p. 644; Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 295. pi.; Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 1 15 ; Legge, 

 B. Ceylon, p. ion ; Oates, Str. F. x. p. 246 ; id., Birds Br. Burm. ii. p. 422. 

 Gelochelidon anglicus, Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 836. Gelochelidon nilotica, 

 Murray, Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 320. Sterna nilotica ( V. Hass.), Hume, Str. F. 

 i. p. 281. The GULL-BILLED TERN. 



In summer forehead, lores, head on the crown, nape and back of the neck 

 silky or deep black ; sides of the face, chin, throat, breast and under parts 

 white ; mantle, wings and tail light grey, wings reach about two inches beyond 

 the tail, the first primary is rather a hoary grey, the rest light grey, their tips 

 and inner webs next the shaft dusky brown, the margins for their basal two- 

 thirds greyish white ; shafts white ; secondaries and tertiaries light grey ; 



