904 



Birds of Celebes: Laiidae. 



(17) Meyer, Ztsclir. ges. Orn. 1884, J96; (18) W. Blasius, Oniis 1888, 320; 

 (19) Rams., Tab. List 1888, 23; (20) Everett, J. Str. Br. R. A. S. 1889, 211; 

 (21) North, Nests & Eggs B. Austr. 1889, 356; (22) Gates ed. Hume's Nests & 

 Eggs Ind. B. 1890, HI, 302; (23) Seeb., B. Japan 1890, 297; (24) Salvador!, 

 Agg. Orn. Pap. 1891, 212; (25) Wiglesworth, Av. Polyn. 1892, 74; (26) 

 De La Touche, Ibis 1892, 502; (27) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Gen. 1892, XXXII, 

 142; (28) M. & Wg., Abb. Mus. Dresd. 1895, Nr. 8, p. 20; (2<J) Saund., Cat. B. 

 1896, XXV, 126. 



a. Onychoprion melanauchen (1) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, VTTT, 104. 



b. Sternula melanauchen (1) Hume, Str. P. 1874, 11, 319. 



c. Onychoprion sumatranus ') ("Raffl."); (1) Salvadori , Cat. Uccelli Borneo 1874, 374; 



(2) Vorderm., N. T. Ned. Ind. 1884, XLIV, 253; (3) id., ib. 1892, LI, 415. 



(1. Sterna sumatrana (1) Hume & Davis., Str. P. 1878, VI, 493; (2) Kelh., Ibis 1882, 202. 



For further synonymy and references cf. Finsch & Hartlaub 6\ Salvadori 14, 24; 

 H. Saunders 29. 



Figures and descriptions. Temminck /; Gould //; Schlegel 5; Pinsch & Hartlaub 6'; 

 Salvadori 14; Gates 15; Seebohm 23 (woodcut); H. Saunders 29. 



Adult. Head above, face, and under parts, including wing below, and tail, white; 

 a black band through the eye (but not reaching to the base of the bill) round 

 the nape (where it is broadest); upper parts very light grey; upper hind neck, tail- 

 feathers, except the basal ones, and tips of secondaries, inner edges and shafts of 

 primaries white; outer web of outermost primary black (Banka Id., N. Celebes, 

 May, 1893: Nat. CoH. — C 12094). 



The tail is forked to a depth of 8 — 9 cm. 



Winter plumage. In winter, according to Mr. Howard Saunders (29), the adult has less 

 black in front of the eye and round the nape. 



Iris dark brown; bill and legs black (Kelham d 2). 



Young. Above impure cream-colour, the feathers crossed with subterminal U-shajied bars of 

 dusky, bases pale grey, the head above mth a few fine streaks of dusky; a band 

 of black with paler tips to the feathei'S through eye round the naj)e; remiges 

 grey, the tips and most of the inner webs cream-white or white, shafts white, outer- 

 most primary blacker; under parts cream-Avhite; "iris dark; feet brownish ; bill black" 

 (juv., Lembeh Id., N. Celebes, 18. July, 1893: P. & P. Sarasin). 



Measurements. 



Wing 



TaO Tarsus 



Mid. toe Exposed 

 and claw 1 culmen 



Eggs. 



a. (C12095) ad., Banka Id., May, 1893 (Nat. Coll.) 223 — 19.5 23 35 



/^. (C 12094) ad., Banka Id., May, 1893 (Nat. Coll.) 228 146 18.5 23 33 



c. (CI 2093) ad., Banka Id., May, 1893 (Nat. Coll.) 235 156 20 24 37 



f/. (Sarasin Coll.) juv., Lembeh Id., 18. July, 18931 162 70 19 22 25 



2. "Eggs from islands of all parts of the South Seas are similar. They have a grey- 

 yellow ground, with violet shell-spots and light and dark brown surface-spots, which 

 in most eggs are evenly distributed over the whole surface. They stand nearest to 

 the eggs of Sterna mimtta, but are notably larger and measure 38 — 41 X 27 — 29 mm" 

 (Nehrkorn MS). See, also, Hume b 1, 22; North 21; Pinsch 7. 



') Raffles' species of this name is included by Mr. H. Saunders with a query in the synonymy of 

 ■5. sinensis, by Salvadori doubtfully (H) in that of the present species. From the original description (Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. 1822, XIII, 329) it is quite impossible to decide what the species may have been. 



