326 LAIUD.E. 



throat ; primaries and secondaries blackish ; tail-feathers very 

 dark ; wing-lining slaty grey. 



Young birds are browner and paler, and have the forehead and 

 crown greyish brown. 



Bill black, orange at the angle of the gape ; irides deep brown ; 

 legs and feet dusky vinous purple (Hume}. 



Length 16 : tail 6 ; wing 10*5 : tarsus 1 ; bill from gape 2-3. 



Distribution. Tropical and subtropical seas. This bird is found 

 occasionally on the Indian coasts, and has been recorded from 

 Makran, the Laccadives (where if breeds), Ceylon, and several 

 parts of the Bay of Bengal, especially the Nicobar Islands. 



Habits, <$fc. Those of the genus. Hume found Noddies of this 

 species in large numbers breeding on Cherbaniani Reef, one of 

 the Laccadives, and just beginning to lay in the second week in 

 February. Only one egg is laid by each bird ; it is whitish as a 

 rule, very sparingly spotted with dark brown and pale purple, and 

 measures about 2-08 by T38. 



1516. Anous leucocapillus. The White-headed Noddy. 



Anous leucocapillus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1845, p. 10:3; Sounders, P. Z. S. 



1876, p. 670, pi. Ixi, fig. 3; Hume, S. F. iv, p. 480; id, Cat. 



no. 994 bis ; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 435. 



Anous melanogenys, Gray, Gen. B. iii, p. 661, pi. 182 (1846). 

 Anous tenuirosiris, apud Btyth, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 373; id. Cat. 



p. 293; id. Ibis, 1865, p. 40; 1867, p. 178; Jerdon, B. I. iii, 



p. 846 ; Beavan, Ibis, 1867, p. 334 ; 18C8, p. 405 ; Hume, Cat. 



no. 994 ; Oates, B. B. ii ; p. 435 ; nee Sterna tenuirostris, Temm. 

 Anous senex, apud Hume, $. :F. ii, p. 321 ; iv, p. 480 ; ncc Leach. 

 Micranous leucocapillus, Saundcrs, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 145. 



Coloration. Forehead and crown white, passing into a*hy grey 

 and then into dark brown on the nape ; lores and chin jet-black ; 

 sidas of neck, throat, and fore neck black with a grey wash ; rest 

 of plumage blackish brown. 



Younger birds are dark brown ; but the lores are black and the 

 forehead and crown white at all ages. 



Bill black ; iris brown ; tarsi and toes blackish brown (Layard). 



Length 13 ; tail 4*75 ; wing 9 ; tarsus '9 ; bill from gape 2-1. 



Distribution. Tropical seas generally. This species has been 

 repeatedly seen and occasionally obtained in the Bay of Bengal. 

 Blyth received a specimen from the mouth of the Ganges, and 

 there is a skin in the Hume collection from Minicoy. The habits 

 resemble those of A. stolidus. 



Gygis Candida (Gm.) is probably found at times in Indian seas. 

 There is a skin in the Leyden Museum, collected by Dussumier 

 and labelled Bengal, and Hume believes he has twice seen this. 

 bird (S. F. vii, p. 447) ; but before including the species in the 

 Indian list further evidence is desirable. If found, the White 

 Noddy, as it is called, may be easily recognized by its pure white 

 plumage, black bill, and blue irides. The tail resembles that of 

 Anous in shape. Wing 9*5 ; tarsus very short, '6. 



