RHYNCHOPS. 201 



very pale buff, and is sometimes tinged with pink. The markings 

 consist of spots and blotches of most irregular shape, and two or 

 more are often confluent, forming a huge patch. Most of the 

 markings are blackish brown, frequently turning to pale chestnut 

 or red at the edges ; some are entirely reddish brown. The under- 

 lying markings are of an inky-purple colour and are of the same 

 size and disposition as the surf ace- markings. The eggs measure 

 from 1-6 to 1-95 in length, and from 1*2 to T35 in breadth. 



1. North America (Smiths. Inst.\ Salvin-Godman Coll. 



2. North America (T. M. Breiver). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



3. Cobbs Island, Virginia, 15th June. W. E. D. Scott, Esq. [0.]. 

 2. Cobbs Island, 17th June. 



2. Cobbs Island, 20th June. 



2. Cobbs Island, 20th June. 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. 

 1. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. 



3. Cobbs Island, 23rd June. 



1. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. ,, 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 



3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 



4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. ,, 

 4. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 

 3. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 



2. Cobbs Island, 27th June. 



2. Cobbs Island, 28th June. 



3. Cobbs Island, 28th June. ' 

 2. Cape Charles, Virginia, 18th June. 



2. Cape Charles, 18th June. 



3. Florida. Sir Richard Owen [P.]. 



Rhynchops melanura, Sivains. 

 (Plate XV. fig. 9.) 



Rhynchops melanura, Scl. fy Salv. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 201; Saunders, 

 Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 156 (1896) : Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 138 

 (1899). 



The eggs of the Black-tailed Skimmer are of a broad oval form, 

 short and rounded. The ground is of a pale buff colour, and this 

 is spotted and blotched all over with chocolate-brown and underlying 

 pale purple. Eleven specimens measure from 1-55 to T8 in length, 

 and from 1-25 to 1-4 in breadth. 



11. Ucayali River, Upper Amazonia Saunders Coll. 

 (E. Bartlett). 



