STERNA. 315 



greenish grey, very beautifully blotched, spotted, or streaked with 

 blackish, red-brown, and inky purple, and measuring on an average 

 2-45 by 1-71. 



1503. Sterna seena. The Indian River-Tern. 



Sterna seena, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 171 ; Hume $ Oates, S. F. 

 iii, p. 193 ; Butler, S. F. iv, p. 32 ; Fairbank, ibid. p. 264 ; Inglis, 

 S. F. v, p. 47; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi, p. 492; Anders. Yunnan 

 Exped., Aves, p. 693 ; Ball, S. F. vii, p. 233 ; Cripps, ibid. p. 314 ; 

 Hume, Cat. no. 985 ; Scully, S. F. viii, p. 364 ; Leyge, Birds Ceyl. 

 p. ]003 ; Butler, S. F. ix, p. 440 ; Reid, 8. F. x, p. 86 ; Davidson, 

 ibid. p. 326; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 423; Barnes, Birds Bom. 

 p. 429 ; id. Jour. Bom. N. H. Soc. i, p. 61 ; vi. p. 294 ; Hume, 

 S. F. xi, p. 350 ; Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 308. 



Sterna aurantia., Gray, in Hardw. III. 2nd. Zool. i, pi. 69, fig. 2 

 (1832) ; Hume, S. F. i, p. 281. 



Seeua aurantia, Blyth, Cat. p. 291 ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 838 ; Godw.- 

 Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 275 ; Hayes Lloyd, Ibi*, 1S73, 

 p. 421 ; Blyth # Wald. Birds Burm. p. 163 ; Wardl.-Rams. Ibis, 

 1877, p. 472 ; Saunders, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 37. 

 The Large River- Tern, Jerdon. 



Fig. 72. Head of S. seena. 



Coloration. The whole head to considerably below the eyes and 

 including 1he nape black glossed with dark green, a white spot 

 under each eye; rest of upper parts French grey, paling to pearl- 

 grey on the rump and tail ; chin and a streak on each cheek 

 bordering the black cap, together with the under tail-coverts, 

 white ; remainder of lower surface, inclusive of wing-lining, delicate 

 pale grey. 



After the moult, which does not occur till about December, the 

 forehead is white and the crown dull grey, then black streaks appear 

 and the black cap is generally assumed by February. Young birds 

 have the feathers of the upper parts dull grey, with an inner 

 brown and an outer buff margin. 



Bill bright deep yellow ; irides brown ; legs red (Jerdon\ The 

 bill and legs are duller coloured and the tip of the bill dusky in 

 autumn. 



Length 15 to 18 ; tail 6 to 9-5, depth of fork 5 to 6 ; wing 11 ; 

 tarsus '8 ; bill from gape 2-3. 



Distribution. Throughout India and Burma on all large rivers, 



