l8o PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: ZOOLOGY. 



At Cobb's Island the first eggs were laid on the 15 June and the last 

 nests with fresh eggs were recorded on the 15 July. In appearance the 

 eggs are intermediate between those of characteristic Terns and those of 

 typical Gulls. 



Young birds were first noticed on June 30, and they were cared for by 

 their parents till about six weeks old, even after they could fly well. 



Charles Darwin observed these birds and collected at least one skin at 

 Bahia Blanca, Southern Argentina, in January, 1837, and the birds have 

 been taken in Northern Patagonia (Burmeister, t. c. ante). 



Mr. Howard Saunders remarks that "American birds are often slightly 

 smaller than European examples, and Australian specimens are inclined 

 to be larger, but there are numerous exceptions " (Saunders, t. c. p. 29). 



Genus STERNA Linnaeus. 



TYPE. 

 Sterna, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 227 (1766) ; Saunders, Cat. 



Bds. Brit. Mus., XXV, p. 40 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hand- 

 List Bds. I. p. 134 (1899) . S. "hirundo." 



Thalasseus, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563 (pt.) 



Sternula, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563 (pt.) S. minuta. 



Actochelidon, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 31 (1829) . . . S. cantiaca. 



Thalasscea, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 97 (1829) . . . . S. dougalli. 



Pelecanopus, Wagler, Isis, 1832, pp. 277, 1225 . . . S. bergii. 



Onychoprion, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 277 S. fuliginosa. 



Planetis, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1222 S. fiiliginosa. 



Haliplana, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1224 S. fuliginosa. 



Hydrocecropis, Boie, Isis, 1844, p. 179 (pt.) 



Thalassipora, Boie, teste Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 1 40 ( 1 845) S. fuliginosa. 



Melanosterna, Blyth, J. A. S. Beng. XV, p. 373 (1846) . S. ancestheta. 



Geographical Range. Cosmopolitan. 



STERNA HIRUNDINACEA Lesson. 



Sterna hirundinacea, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 621 (1831 : Santa Catarina) ; 

 Puch. Rev. Zool. 1850, p. 539; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 647; 

 Durnf. Ibis, 1877, p. 43 (Chupat Valley, breeding, Nov.), 1878, p. 

 404 (Lake Colguape: Sengel River: Tambo Point, breeding, Dec.); 



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