420 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMA H. 



plumage, wings and tail rather dark grey, the primaries with white shafts 

 and darker tips. 



In winter the forehead, lores, face, sides of the neck and the whole lower 

 plumage are pure white ; the crown, nape and upper part of the hind neck 

 white densely streaked with black ; a space round the eye blackish ; upper 

 plumage, wings and tail as in summer. 



Iris brown ; bill red ; legs and toes dull red. 



Length 10 inches, tail 3' 3, wing 9*2, tarsus '8, bill from gape I 4 4, fork 

 of tail '8. 



I found the Whiskered Tern abundant in the Sittang river and in the 

 adjoining creeks from November to May. Mr. Davison observed it in 

 the plains between the Sal ween and the Sittang rivers. Mr. Blyth records 

 it from Arrakan ; and it will no doubt be found in all parts of the 

 Province. 



It occurs throughout a considerable portion of Europe and Africa and 

 nearly the whole of Asia, extending through the Malayan archipelago to 

 Australia. It appears to be resident in many parts, migratory in others, 

 but it does not pass into the northern portions of Asia. 



This Tern visits Burmah in the winter months, staying in the Pro- 

 vince till May. I observed it only in tidal waters ; but it is said to 

 frequent sweet-water lakes and marshes. Large numbers are generally 

 seen together flying backwards and forwards over the same piece of water 

 for lengthened periods, and they probably feed on insects as well as on 

 fish. 



759. HYDROCHELIDON LEUCOPTERA. 



THE WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN. 



Sterna leucoptera, Meisn. fy tichinz, Vog. Schweiz, p. 2(34. Hydrochelidon nigra 

 (Linn.}, apud Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 372. Hydrochelidon leucoptera, Dresser, 

 Birds Eur. viii. p. 321, pi. ; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. (541 ; David et Oust. Ois. 

 Chine, p. 524 ; Hume, S. F. vii. p. 445, viii. p. 115 j Lec/ge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1000 ; 

 Gates, S. F. x. p. 246. 



Description. Summer plumage. Head, neck, back, scapulars, inner- 

 most secondaries, and entire underparts, excepting the under tail-coverts, 

 deep black ; primary-quills blackish grey, fading to greyish white on the 

 outer portion of the inner webs, except on the terminal portion, shafts 

 of the feathers white ; secondaries light French grey, rather darker on 

 the inner web and the terminal portion ; lesser wing-coverts and edge 

 of the wing white ; larger coverts French grey ; tail, upper and under 



