316 LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



Sterna anostheeta. 



THE BRIDLED TERN. 



Sterna anosthccta, Scop, Del. Faun, et Flor. Ins. I. 178G, no. 72 (ex Soun. Voy. 125, pi. 84). — 



CouES, Check List, 1873, no. 574. 

 Sterna (ffaliplana) anosthccta, CoUES, Key, 1872, 322. 

 Sterna (Haliplana) anxsthcta, CouEs, Birds N. W. 1874, 701. 

 Sterna anastMa, Saundehs, P. Z. S. 1876, 664 (fig. of foot on p. 665). — Ridgw, Nom. N. Am. B. 



1881, no. 692. 

 Sterna ana:sthetica, CouES, 2d Check List, 1882, no. 805. 

 Sterna oalmensis, Blox. Voy. "Blonde," 1826, 251. 

 Sterna panayensis, Gmel. S. N. L ii. 1788, 607. 

 Sterna panaya., Lath. Lid. Orn. II. 1790, 808. 

 Sterna antarctica, "Cuv." Less. Traite, 1831, 621. 

 Sterna infascata, Heugl. Ibis, 1859, 351. 



Haliplana discolor, CouES, Ibis, 1864, 392. — Elliot, lUnstr. Am. B. II. 1869, pi. 57. 

 ? Hydroclielidon somalensis, Heugl. Orn. N.-O. Afr. 1873, p. ccvii. 

 Sterna mclanoptera, Swains. B. N. W. Afr. 1837, 249. 



Hab. Nearly the same range as S.fulifjinosa, but not ranging so far from the tropics. Florida 

 (only North American record). 



Sp. Char. Adult : Lores, crown, occiput, and upper part of nape deep black ; forehead and 

 superciliary region, entire lower parts, and under surface of the wing pure white. Lower part of 

 nape and e.vtrenie upper part of the back ashy white ; remaining upper parts brownish slate, more 

 plumbeous on the back, where shading gradually into the whitish of the nape ; primaries, primary 



coverts, and alula blackish slate. Rump and six middle tail-feathers brownish ashy, like the back, 

 the two outer rectrices on each side white, shading into grayish terminally, most extensively on 

 the second feather, the outer web of the first being wholly white. Bill and feet black ; iris dark 

 brown. Young, first jdumar/e : Entire lower parts, with cheeks, forehead, and sides of the crown, 

 white, as in the adult ; middle of the crown, with occiput and nape, brownish dusky, the first 

 streaked with grayish white. Upper parts grayish brown, the scapulars, interscapulars, and tertials 

 bordered terminally with grayish white. 



Total length, 14.00 to 15.00 inches; wing, 10.50; tail, 6.00-7.00; culmen, 1.40-1.60; depth 

 of bill at base, .35-.40 ; tavus, .85 ; middle toe, .85. 



There can be very little doubt that this species is an occasional visitant of Florida, 

 both on the Atlantic and on the Gulf coast. There is now in the collection of Mr. 

 George IST. Lawrence, of New York, an example labelled as having been taken in 

 Florida ; it was formerly in the Audubon collection ; and Mv. Charles B. Cory, of 

 Boston, in the summer of 1879 found it abundant in June on Long Island, one of the 

 Bahamas. In the West India Islands, where it is especially numerous, it is "the egg- 



