STERNA 817 



ad. (China). Differs from S. minuta in being larger, in having the 

 shafts of the primaries white, the outer web of the first, and inner web 

 near the shaft dark grey, the upper tail-coverts and tail pure white, and 

 the outer tail-feathers longer. Culnien 1 '5, wing 7'4, tail 5'6, the outer 

 feathers 3 '3 longer than the middle ones, tarsus 0'65 inch. 



Hob. Ceylon, Burma, and China, east to Japan ; Malaysia 

 down to New Guinea, Australia, and New South Wales. 



In habits it does not appear to differ from Sterna minula, 

 frequenting similar localities and feeding also on small fish 

 and small crustaceans, &c. It breeds on sand-banks in rivers 

 and on the coast, in March and April in Pegu, and from June 

 to August in Ceylon, depositing its 2 to 3 eggs on the 

 ground. The eggs vary in ground-colour from stone-grey to 

 yellowish or pale brownish buff and olivaceous grey, the shell- 

 markings being bluish inky and purplish grey and the surface 

 blotches of dark sepia and brown of various shades ; in size they 

 measure about 1*24 by 0'94. 



1124. ALEUTIAN TEEN. 

 STERNA ALEUTICA. 



Sterna aleutica, Baird, Trans. Chicago Acad. 1869, p. 321, pi. 31, fig. 1 ; 

 Saunders, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxv. p. 98 ; Ridgway, p. 45 ; Seebohm, 

 B. Jap. Emp. p. 299 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 1013. 



$ ad. (Alaska). Crown, nape, and loral streak black ; middle of forehead 

 back to the eye white ; mantle slate-grey ; rump, tail, chin, lower cheeks, 

 under wing- and tail-coverts white ; primaries dark grey, the outer web of 

 the first blackish, a dark line on the inner web next the white shaft ; white 

 wedges to the four outer primaries ; secondaries edged with white ; 

 abdomen and breast pale slate-grey ; bill and legs black ; iris dark brown. 

 Culnien 1'5, wing 10'65, tail 6'5, lateral tail-feathers 3'6 longer than the 

 middle ones, tarsus 075 inch. In winter there is more white on the 

 forehead. 



Hob. Alaska; both sides of the Bering Sea; the Aleutian 

 Islands ; Saghalien and South-eastern Japan. 



In habits it is said to resemble the Arctic Tern, but its note 

 is weaker and more squeaky. It deposits its 1 to 2 eggs on the 

 ground, and these resemble those of the Arctic Tern, but are 

 darker in ground-colour and more boldly marked ; in size they 

 measure about 1*6 by 1*15. 



