812 STERNA 



Hob. Mediterranean, from the Straits of Gibraltar, where it 

 is somewhat rare, to Egypt ; the Red Sea down to Madagascar ; 

 coasts of Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, India, Ceylon, and Burma 

 (rarely), ranging south to Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, and 

 North Australia. 



In general habits it appears to resemble the Sandwich Tern. 

 It frequents the sea coasts and small islands, and is very 

 gregarious, being usually seen in large flocks, and like its allies 

 feeds on small fish. It breeds in colonies, the [nest being a 

 mere depression near the shore, usually in sand, and the eggs, 

 2 in number, are in general character like those of the Sand- 

 wich Tern, are dull white, glossless, with purplish grey shell- 

 markings, and dark brown surface spots, and measure about 

 2-18 by 1-56. 



1118. SANDWICH TERN. 

 STERNA CANTIACA. 



Sterna cantiaca, Grael. Syst Nat. i. p. 606 (1788) ; Naum. x. p. 50, 

 Taf. 250 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 478, pi. cxxxii. figs. 2, 3 ; Gould, B. of 

 E. v. pi. 415 ; (id.), B. of Gt. Brit. v. pi. 69 ; Audub. B. of Am. 

 pi. 279 ; Dresser, viii. p. 301, pi. 586 ; Saunders, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 xxv. p. 75 ; id. Manual, p. 643 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. 

 p. 312 ; Lilford, vi. p. 13, pi. 6 ; S. acuflavida, Cabot, Proc. Bost. 

 Soc. ii.-p. 257 (1847) ; Eidgway, p. 40. 



Hirondelle de mer caugek, French ; G-arajau, Portug. ; G-olon- 

 drina de mar, Span. ; Beccapesci, Ital. ; Brand-Meerschwalbe, 

 German ; Gfroote-zeezwaluw, Dutch ; Kentisk-Terne, Dan. 



( ad. (Turkey). Head to below the eye and nape glossy black, the 

 nuchal feathers elongated ; a white line from the nostril along the edge of 

 the upper mandible ; mantle plain French-grey ; primaries with white 

 margins to the inner webs ; tail white ; under parts white with a very faint 

 pink tinge ; bill black, the tip yellow ; legs black ; iris dark brown. 

 Culmen 2 -35, wing 12*1, tail 6'8, the outer feathers 3'4 longer than the 

 middle ones, tarsus I'l inch. In winter the forehead is white, the 

 crown and nape white closely spotted with black ; a blackish spot before 

 the eye. 



Hob. Europe, but not extending north above Britain or 

 Denmark, and a very rare straggler to Southern Sweden ; on 

 passage, and in winter ranging as far south as the Canaries 

 and the Cape of Good Hope ; Asia, east to Sind ; the Atlantic 

 coasts of North America, Cuba, Jamaica, both sides of Central 

 America, and as far south as Bahia in Brazil. 



