464 NATATORES. STERNA. TERN. 



laughing. This author has fallen into an essential mistake 

 in describing the whole of the upper plumage as of pure 

 white ; the mantle and scapulars being, on the contrary, of a 

 pale pearl-grey, a colour that prevails on those parts through 

 Incuba- a ll the members of the Laridse. It breeds upon the lower 

 parts of small islands, merely scraping a shallow hole in the 

 sand or shingle, and lays two or three eggs of an olive-green 

 colour, dashed and spotted with deep brown or black. 



General In the adult summer or nuptial plumage, the bill is of a rich 

 descrip- vermilion, and the legs and feet black. The forehead, 



Summer crown of the head, and lengthened occipital feathers 



plumage. velvet-black. Back, scapulars, and wing-coverts pearl- 



grey. Sides of the head, fore part of the neck, and the 

 whole of the under plumage pure white. Quills brown, 

 tinged with grey. Tail pearl-grey. 



Winter In winter the forehead and crown of the head are white, 

 and the occiput is varied with black and white. In 

 other respects as above described. 



Young. The young of the year have the upper parts of a pale 

 wood-brown, tinged with grey, and varied by the trans- 

 verse blackish bars and spots. Quills blackish-brown, 

 and the end of the tail of the same colour. The under 

 plumage white. 



SANDWICH TERN. 



STERNA BOYSII, Lath. 

 PLATE LXXXVIII. FIG. 2. 



Sterna Boysii, Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 806. sp. 10. but not the varieties, 



A. B Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 142. No. 232. 



Sterna cantiaca, Gmel Syst. 1. 606. sp. 15 Sleph. Shaw's Zool 13. 14-7- 



Hirondelle de Mer Caugek, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. 735, 



Sandwich Tern, Lath Syn. 6. 356. 9 Id. Sup. 266 Lewirfs Br. Birds, 



6. pi. 203 Mont. Orn. Diet, and Sup. BewicVs Br. Birds, ed. 1826, 



2. p. t. \%S. Shaw's Zool. 13. 149 Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 142. No. 132. 



Rennie's Mont. Ornith. Diet. 449 Selby in Zool. Journ. 2. 463. 



