1876.] Mil. H. SAUNDERS ON THE STERNIN.E. ()4 I 



Sterna innotata, Beavan, Ibis, 1868, p. -104 (imm.). 



Pe/odcs delalandii, Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 122 (1871). 



Pelodes indica et P. fluviatilis, Gray, Hand-list, iii. pp. 121, 122 

 (1871). 



Gelochelidon innotata, Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 119 (1871). 



Pelodes hybrida, Gurney, Anderssou's B. of Damaralaud, p. 362 

 (1872) ; Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 121 (1871). 



" Sterna leucoptera" (in error), Buckle)', Ibis, 187-1, p. 391 

 (Transvaal). 



After examining a very large series, I am unable to detect any 

 constant difference between European, Indian, and Australian speci- 

 mens. Examples in breeding-plumage are absolutely identical ; 

 and it is much if a trifling inferiority in size can be remarked in 

 the Indian, and a slightly paler tint in the coloration of the upper 

 parts of Australian examples. The general range of the species may 

 therefore be described as from the extreme west of Europe to the 

 coasts of China and the island of Formosa and throughout the 

 Malayan region down to Australia, principally the Queensland por- 

 tion. It occurs in South Africa abundantly in winter, and probably 

 breeds there, as Andersson obtained it in full plumage in April. In 

 the British Museum there is a mounted specimen marked as obtained 

 at Barbadoes and presented by Sir Robert Schomburgk, who was for 

 some time Governor of that West-Indian colony ; but there does not 

 appear to be any other record of its occurrence so far west, even as a 

 straggler. 



Hydrocheltdon leucoptera, Meisn. & Schinz. 



Sterna jissipes et *S'. ncevia, Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso- As. ii. pp. 337-8 

 (1811), nee Linn. 



Sterna leucoptera, Meisner & Schinz, Yog. Schweiz, p. 264 

 (1815) ; Temm. Man. d'Orn. p. 483 (1815). 



Hydrochelidon leucoptera, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563 ; Buller, B. 

 New Zealand, p. 287 (1873) ; Dresser, B. of Europe, pt. xlv. (Nov. 

 1875). 



Viralva leucoptera, Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii. p. 170 (1826). 



Ht/drochelidon leucopterum, Bp. Comp. List, p. 61 (1838). 



Hydrochelidon nigra, G. R. Gray, Gen. Birds, iii. p. 660 (nee 

 Linn.) (1849) ; Bias. J. f. Orn. 1866, p. 82; Swinhoe, Ibis, 1863, 

 p. 97, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 28, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 421 (China); Gurney, 

 Anderssou's B. Damara-land, p. 363 (1872); G. R. Gray, Hand- 

 list, iii. p. 121 (1871) ; Coues, B. N.W. America, p. 709 (1874). 



Hydrochelidon suhleucopteru, C. L. Biehm, Vogelfang, p. 350 

 (1855). 



Hydrochelidon javanica, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1860, p. ijS, 1861, p. 345 

 (nee Horsfield). 



Sterna nigra, Schlegel. M. P.-B. Sternce, p. 31 (1863). 



Hydrochelidon niger, SevertzofF, Turk. Jevotnie, p. 70 (1873), 

 fide Dresser. 



The description of this species was given by Meisner and Schinz, 



