STERNA. 723 



and wings as in the summer plumage. Legs and feet black, also the bill, 

 which is tipped on both mandibles with horny yellow, or yellowish white ; irides 

 brown. 



Length. 17*5 to i8'O inches; wing 1 1-5 to 12-5 ; tail 6 to 6-2 ; bill at front 

 2-O to 2*4 ; wings reach about one inch beyond the tip of the tail. The 

 females are smaller, with a much shorter tail and no rosy tinge. 



Bab. Sind, Beloochistan (Mekran Coast), Persia and Egypt. Its other 

 habitats are in various parts of Europe. Affects the sea coast of Sind and 

 Beloochistan, congregating in large flocks on sand banks or rocks in the 

 Kurrachee harbour. 



1431. Sterna media, Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii. p. 198 j Saun- 

 ders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 655 ; Hume, Sir. F. v. p. 301 ; Dresser, B. Eur. 

 viii. p. 285, pi. ; Hume and Dav., S/r. F. vi. p. 493 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 

 116; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 1030; Murray, Vert., Zool., Sind, p. 321; Oates, 

 B. Burnt, ii. p. 421. Sterna bengalensis, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 621; Hume> 

 Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 655; id., Str.F. i. p. 284; ii. p. 318; iv. p. 474. 

 Thalasseus bengalensis, Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 483 ; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 193. 

 The ALLIED TERN. 



Summer Plumage. Forehead, crown, nape, back of the neck and occipital 

 crest glossy black ; lores, face, sides of the neck, breast and entire lower 

 parts white ; mantle and wings light silvery or satin grey, paler on the 

 tail ; the outer web of the external feathers greyish white ; primaries dusky 

 grey, the inner webs margined with white, and the portion next the shaft dusky; 

 wings extend two inches beyond the end of the tail ; inner webs of secondaries 

 white. Bill yellow ; irides deep brown ; legs and feet black. 



Length. 15*5 to 16*5 inches; wing I2'2 to 12-25; tail 6 to 675 bill at 

 front 2-5 ; tarsus ro to 1-2. 



In winter plumage the entire forehead and lores are pure white, the crown 

 white, the feathers centred dusky ; occiput dusky, the feathers slightly mar- 

 gined with white ; a spot in front of the eye and a line behind it black. 



Hab. The sea coasts of Sind, Beloochistan, Bengal, Bombay, Madras, 

 Malabar Coast, Burmah and Ceylon. A maritime species abundant in the 

 Kurrachee harbour, mouths of the Indus, and the tidal creeks. 



1432. Sterna melanauchen, Temm.> Pi. Col. 427; Saunders, 



P. Z. S. 1876, p. 661. Onychoprion melanauchen, Jerd., B. Ind. iii. p. 844 ; 

 Oates, B. Br. Burm. ii., p. 429. Sternula melanauchen, Hume, Nests and 

 Eggs, Ind. B. p. 656. Onychoprion sumatrana {Raffl?), Salvad., Ucc. Born. 

 p. 374. Sterna sumatrana (Raffl.), Hume and Dav., Sir. F. vi. p. 493 ; 

 Hume, Sir. F. viii. p. 1 16. The BLACK-NAPED TERN. 





