34 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 134 
over the sea, and looking back I saw hundreds more, circling in 
apparent confusion but in their usual manner over the barren sum- 
mit of the larger of the two islets. They continued in numbers 
until we were opposite Isla Iguana, and an occasional one was sighted 
farther north to within 15 miles of Isla Otoque. None was seen when 
we passed on January 6, and apparently they had arrived only re- 
cently at their nesting grounds at the Frailes, to judge from their 
actions. The presence of this large tern colony here has not been 
reported so far as I am aware. 
A few that came near appeared to be the present species, an 
identification that is probable because of the immature specimen in 
the National Museum collections captured by Charles L. Fagan on 
September 24, 1922, aboard a ship when the vessel was abeam of 
Punta Mala.® 
CHLIDONIAS NIGER SURINAMENSIS (Gmelin): Black Tern, 
Gaviotina Negra 
Sterna surinamensis GMELIN, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 604. (Suri- 
nam.) 
On January 6, while passing Punta Mala I noted two flocks of 
about 40 each resting on the sea 3 miles offshore. 
Family CoLuMBIDAE: Pigeons, Doves 
COLUMBA CAYENNENSIS PALLIDICRISSA Chubb: Pale-vented Pigeon, 
Torcaza Comin 
Columba pallidicrissa Cuuss, Ibis, ser. 9, vol. 4, January 1910, p. 60. (Costa 
Rica.) 
The torcaza was present in fair numbers, scattered singly through 
the forest, where for most part they remained in the tops of the 
taller trees, so high as to be beyond gunshot. While we heard their 
guttural calls daily, it took careful stalking and watching to see them, 
and then usually they were out of reach. Finally we secured a male 
on January 28, and a female two days later. 
COLUMBIGALLINA TALPACOTI NESOPHILA (Todd): Ruddy Ground Dove, 
Tortolita Colorada : 
Chaemepelia rufipennis nesophila Toop, Ann. Carnegie Mus. vol. 8, May 8, 
1913, p. 590. (Isla El Rey, Archipiélago de las Perlas, Panama.) 
The ruddy ground dove was found in the pastures where I saw 
them daily, feeding in little groups on the ground where the grass 
5 See Wetmore, Condor, vol. 25, Oct. 3, 1923, p. 171. 
