WHISKERED TERN. 519 



black ; from the base of the upper mandible, in a line 

 below the eye to the ear-coverts a stripe of white, forming 

 the whisker or moustache ; back, wing-coverts, upper tan- 

 coverts and tail-feathers uniform dark grey, almost slate 

 grey ; first quill-feather lead grey on the outer web, and 

 over a considerable portion of that part of the inner web 

 nearest to the white shaft, the other part of the inner web 

 white ; the outer webs of the other primary and secondary 

 feathers lighter grey than the inner webs ; chin and throat 

 greyish-white ; neck and breast slate grey, and as dark as 

 the back ; abdomen, thighs, and flanks lead grey ; under 

 wing and tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and membranes 

 red, the membranes deeply indented. From the point of 

 the beak to the first feathers on the forehead one inch and 

 one-eighth ; from the point of the beak to the end of the 

 middle, or short, tail-feathers, ten inches and a half, to 

 the end of the outside, and longest, tail-feather one inch 

 more, making the whole length eleven inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint of the wing to the end of the first 

 quill-feather, which is the longest, nine inches and a 

 quarter ; length of the tarsus seven-eighths of an inch ; of 

 the middle toe three-quarters of an inch, claw of the mid- 

 dle toe three-eighths of an inch, strong and curved. 



Adult birds in winter have the forehead, crown, occiput, 

 neck, and all the under parts pure white ; a black spot be- 

 hind the eyes ; mantle, back, wings, tail-coverts and tail- 

 feathers uniform ash grey ; bill, legs, and feet deep lake 

 red. Young birds of the year have the crown of the head 

 varied with red and brown ; occiput and ear-coverts grey- 

 ish-black ; the feathers of the back, scapulars, and secon- 

 daries brown in the middle, bordered and tipped with dirty 

 flesh-colour ; tail-feathers blackish grey towards the end, 

 but tipped with white ; beak brown, red at the base ; legs 

 and feet flesh-colour. 



