326 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF SINDH. 



is one not noticed by Mr. Saunders, and that is that, where- 

 as in breeding plumage minuta appears to have always two dark 

 primaries and true sinensis only one, Saundersi has at least 

 three.* 



But, if we are to make species on these grounds, we cannot 

 stop here. The Common Tern of Upper India is not truly 

 identical with minuta of Europe. It is very similar in size 

 and colour ; it has two and only two dark first primaries, but the 

 rump is greyer than in minuta ; the bill in breeding season has 

 the merest specs at the tips of the mandibles, and the shaft of 

 the first primary is white, or brownish white, and not as in 

 minuta the same or almost the same dusky brown as that of 

 the second. 



Mr. Gould has always doubted the identity of the commoner 

 Indian and European Lesser Terns, and the former, as above 

 defined, if separated, should stand as S. Gouldi. 



But this will not exhaust our Indian forms. There are 

 birds like the preceding and with two dark primaries, but 

 with the shafts of both white, aud with no black at all even on 

 the extreme tip of the bill, and with the upper tail-coverts, as 

 well as the rump, and sometimes the central tail feathers, grey 

 aud this not in immature birds, but in males shot over the eggs 

 in the Ganges at the end of April. 



And I fear that there are a good many other changes to be 

 rung, and pending the review of the series from various parts 

 of India now coming in, I must say I feel doubtful how far 

 these small differences will prove constant, and whether a still 

 more comprehensive review than / shall ever be able to make 

 will not eventually lead to the union of all these forms under 

 the one name minuta. — A. O. H.] 



There are two more birds to which I wish to draw attention, 

 though I cannot enter them in the list at present, as unfor- 



* The following is a detailed description of Sterna Saundersi, snared on eggs, 

 at Kurraehee, 10th May 1877. 



Length, 9'12 ; expanse, 1925 ; tail, 3'0 ; wing, 613 ; bill at front, 112 ; from gape, 

 1'5 ; tarsus, - 6. 



Legs and feet dusky yellowish olive ; bill yellow, broadly tipped dusky ; irides 

 blackish brown. 



A triangular frontal patch, the angles reaching to within - 12 of the eyes, white ; 

 a very broad stripe through the lores to the eye black ; a narrow white line intervenes 

 between this stripe and the upper mandible. 



The whole crown, occiput aud short full occipital crest and sides of occiput as low as 

 the lower margin of the eye, velvet black ; the central 2/3rds of the lower eyelid 

 white, and no black below this ; all the rest of the sides of head and neck, chin, throat, 

 entire under parts, wing-lining and exterior tail feather, pure white. 



The first three primaries black with black shafts and broad white margins to inner 

 webs ; their greater coverts dusky black. 



The whole of the rest of the upper surface, including wings and tail, and excepting 

 parts and feathers, already described, a most delicate satin grey, contrasting in tUo 

 strongest manner with the early black primaries. — A- O. H. 



