THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL. 319 



991— Sternula melanauclien, Temm. (45.) 



Iu March when we visited the Andamans and Nicobars we 

 scarcely saw any terns at all. The very few that I saw all 

 belonged to this species, and Davison's experience throughout 

 the islands from December to near the end of April was very 

 similar ; but after we had left in April and May, melanauchen 

 became in some localities in the neighbourhood of Port Blair 

 by no means uncommon. 



The sexes in this species do not appear to differ in any way 

 except that the bills of the males average rather larger than 

 those of the females. 



The following is a resume of the dimensions of twenty-four 

 specimens which we preserved of this species, all of which were 

 shot at Aberdeen or Corbyn's Cove, besides which a large 

 series were sent up by Captaia Wimberley, obtained between 

 June and Setpember, and two skins were given us which had 

 beeu procured in the Nicobars. Length, 12 - 9 to 145 ; expause, 

 25*5 to 27 ; wing 8 - 4 to 9; tail, from vent, 5'5 to 6*5 ; tarsus 

 0-72 to 0-8 ; bill, at front, 1*3 to 1-58 ; weight, 2 7 to 375 ozs. 



Bill black; the extreme points of both mandibles pale 

 yellowish horny; feet black; irides wood brown. 



Dr. Jerdon in his description omits to notice that the whole 

 of the lower plumage, and generally the back of the neck, 

 the wing lining, axillaries and lower surfaces of the quills 

 have a beautiful roseate tint, even brighter than that of 

 Larus Lambrusehini. In Lambruschini the color fades very 

 greatly, in fact almost disappears ; but this is not so much 

 the case in the present species, many specimens of which 

 now before me still glow with the most delicate roseate tints. 



Davison remarks : — " A flock of these small terns arrived iu 

 Port Blair harbour in the last week of April. I first saw them 

 on the islet of Corbyn's Cove on the 28th April; they appeared 

 to have only just arrived, and were all huddled together on the 

 rocks ; a day or two later they had, to a certain extent, spread 

 over the harbour, for I found them off Viper and Chatham 

 Islands ; but the main body kept to Corbyn's Cove ; there were 

 about 100 or more." 



This species breeds freely during the monsoons at the Anda- 

 mans, laying in July and the early part of August in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhood of Port Blair. Like the rest of their 

 congeners they make no nest, but lay in a tiny depression on 

 the bare ground. The place where Captain Wimberley (to 

 whom I am indebted for several specimens) found the eggs 

 was a small rocky islet near the main island, and, but for a 



