146 PHAKTON INDICUS, Hume. PHAETON ZTHERIUS, Lin. 
247.—Hydrochelidon hybrida, Pall. (984.) 
This Tern is tolerably common about Gilgit in spring and 
autumn. I shot many specimens from the 22nd April to the 
13th May, when on its way to its breeding-haunts, and again 
from the 23rd August to the 8th October, while it was passing 
southwards. 
248.—Hydrochelidon nigra, Lin. (984 ter.) 
This species must be expunged from the list of birds of 
Gilgit. Major Biddulph misunderstood my remarks about 
the five Terns I had shot. I was referring to something 
that had been published about the diagnosis of the three 
species of Jydrochelidon; and I intended to say that, if 
measurements alone were to be relied upon, some of my 
specimens might be H. leucoptera or H. nigra. As a matter 
of fact all the examples referred to are immature H. hybrida. 
It is to be hoped, therefore, under these circumstances that 
Gilgit will not be quoted as a locality for the Black Tern. 
249.— Phalacrocorax carbo, Lin. (1005.) 
This Cormorant is tolerably common along the larger rivers 
in the district. It is a summer visitor to Gilgit, and doubtless 
breeds there. I observed it continuously from the first week 
in March to the middle of September, but never saw it in 
winter. The following are the measurements and weight of 
a female in the plumage of the first year, shot on the 21st 
April :—Length, 30°5 inches ; wing, 12°7; tail, 7; outer toe and 
claw, 3°6; tarsus, 2°1; bill from gape, 3°6; weight, 3 Ib. 
13 oz. 
Phaeton indicus, Hume. Phaeton etherius, Lin. 
In Srray Featuers, Vol. I., p. 286, I fully described the 
common Phaéton of the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf and Red 
Sea and Bay of Bengal. 
In Vol. IV., p. 481, I gave further dimensions and particu- 
lars of this species, which I separated as P. indicus, on the 
grounds that it was altogether a smaller bird than P. e@therius, 
with a wing always under 12, against a wing of over 13 in 
etherius; central tail feathers always under 13, against 20 to 
30; a bill not exceeding 2°3 at front, against a bill of 2°5 
to 2:7 in @therius, and a smaller tarsus, &c. Also on the 
grounds that it never assumed the pure white plumage 
attributed to the perfect adult @therius. I showed also that 
