I02 Director's A^innal Report. 



very slight indication of plumbeous, averaging a trifle larger than 

 M. ha'ivaiiensis. Feet in life (old and young) orange-brown, Axy- 

 ing darker. 



Description of the Type. Male : Forehead and crown almost 

 white ; back of the neck black with a slight plumbeous tinge ; 

 back, wing coverts, breast and under parts a uniform black ; prima- 

 ries and secondaries black ; tail feathers blackish with a plumbeous 

 tinge like the back of the neck ; under tail coverts shading into 

 harmony with the tail feathers ; black of the lores extending about 

 the eye except for a small spot on the lower lid ; throat, chin and 

 neck underneath black ; feet in life orange-brown, drying darker 

 (often black). Length in the flesh 14.50, wing 9.10, tail 4.85, 

 tarsus .80, toe 1.30, culmen 1.80, depth of bill .30. 



Adult Bird. Museum number, 2090. This March specimen 

 is uniform wdth the type, except that the feet have retained the 

 yellow color in the dry skin. Wing 8.80, tail 4.75, tarsus .80, toe 

 1.30, culmen 1.60. 



Half -fledged Nestling . Top of the head back to the nape pure 

 white w'ith dark ba.ses to the feathers ; lores, cheeks and sides of 

 the neck black ; one-third of the lower eyelid white ; back of the 

 neck black ; wing coverts and breast sooty black ; wing and tail 

 feathers black, darker than the back ; throat, sides of the body and 

 abdomen still covered with dark brown down ; feet orange-brown 

 in life, drying almost black ; bill black. 



Critical Remarks. This tern seems to be a western represent- 

 ative of the Hawaiian form, to which it is closely allied. Compar- 

 ing the Marcus specimens wnth the twelve old and young birds 

 secured by me at Midway in September, I found all the Midway 

 birds with black feet in the flesh. Of this point I made especial 

 note in the field. The adult birds from Midway have whiter heads 

 and much lighter tails, and are more plumbeous over the .shoulders 

 and back of the neck. Comparing the Marcus Island birds with 

 specimens from Oaliu and Hawaii, the latter are decidedl}^ more 

 plumbeous all over than either Marcus or Midway birds ; however, 

 the feet have evidently been .some shade of j-ellow in life. Laj'san 

 examples are colored more like the Oahu birds, except that the 

 feet are dark, "parched coffee color." 



The plate of the Noio given by Mr. Scott B. Wilson in Aves 

 Hawaiiensis is a very faithful drawing of a tj'pical Oahu bird. The 



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