STERNA. 317 



Length 13 ; tail 5 to 6'5, depth of fork 3-5 ; wing 9 ; tarsus 

 55 ; bill from gape 1'8. 



Distribution. Common about rivers and tanks throughout India 

 and Burma, but less abundant in Southern than in Northern India, 

 and not known with certainty to occur in Ceylon, though reported 

 to be found in the island by more than one observer. It is prob- 

 able in these cases that another species has been mistaken for the 

 present. 



Habits, $c. This is one of the commonest of Indian river-birds, 

 and is generally seen flying and fishing singly or in small parties. 

 It frequents tanks and marshes as well as rivers, and though 

 perhaps less numerous than S. seena, is more widely distributed. 

 It breeds chiefly in March and April, though Doig records taking 

 eggs in Eastern Sind in June and July, and it lays in the same 

 situations as the Indian K,iver- Tern, and frequently in company 

 with it. The mode of deposition and colouring of the eggs is 

 similar, but those of 8. melanogaster are smaller and more elongate, 

 measuring on an average 1*25 by 0-95. 



1505. Sterna albigena. The White-cheeked Tern. 



Sterna albigeua, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 98 (1854) (descr. nulla) ; 

 Walden, Ibis, 1876, p. 384 ; Hume, S. F. iv, p. 467 ; Butler, S. F. 

 v, pp. 298, 323 ; Hume, Cat. no. 987 bis ; Vital, S. F. ix, p. 94 ; 

 Sutler, ibid. p. 440 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 430 ; id. Jour. Bom. 

 N. H. Soc. vi, p. 296 j Oates in Hume's N. Sf E. 2nd ed. iii, 

 p. 311 note ; Saunders, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 69. 



Coloration. Forehead and upper lores, crown, nape, and sides of 

 the head to the lower edge of the orbit black ; chin, gape, lower 

 lores, and a streak along the edge of the black cap to the nape, 

 white ; all the rest of the plumage grey, dark ashy above, vinaceous 

 on the breast and abdomen ; upper and lower tail-coverts and tail 

 lighter ashy, except the outer webs of the outermost tail-feathers 

 which are dark ; outer web of first primary black except towards 

 the end, inner web blackish grey near shafts, white near the inner 

 border, the white not extending to the tip ; secondaries with white 

 tips and inner borders ; wing-lining pale grey. 



In winter the lores and cheeks are white, forehead and anterior 

 portion of crown mixed white and black, wing-lining white, and 

 white is mixed with the grey of the lower parts. Young birds 

 resemble adults in winter plumage, but have a dark band on the 

 smaller wing-coverts and the underparts white throughout. 



Bill black, red at base ; irides brown ; legs orange ( Vidal) ; 

 legs and feet bright red in adults, dull red in young (Butler). 



Length 13-5 ; tail 6, depth of fork 3*25; wing9 - 5; tarsus -75; 

 bill from gape 2. 



Distribution. Sea-coasts from the Red Sea to the Laccadive 

 Islands. 



Habits, 6fc. This is a sea-tern, often seen some miles out at sea 

 but returning to the shore at night. Vidal observed that large 

 flocks of this species appear on the Malabar coast at intervals, and 



