ROSEATE TERN. 299 



middle, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, the sharp edges in- 

 flected, the tip extremely acute. 



Head of moderate size, oblong ; neck of moderate length ; body very 

 slender ; feet small ; wings and tail very long. Tibia bare for a consi- 

 derable space; tarsus very short, slender, roundish, covered anteriorly 

 with small scutella, laterally and behind with reticular scales ; toes small, 

 slender, the first very small, the third longest, the fourth nearly as long, 

 the second much shorter, all scutellate above, the anterior united by re- 

 ticulated webs having a concave margin ; claws curved, compressed, acute, 

 that of hind toe smallest, of middle toe by much the largest, and having 

 the inner edge thin and dilated. 



Plumage soft, close, blended, very short on the head ; the feathers in 

 general broad and rounded. Wings very long, narrow, and pointed ; 

 primary quills tapering, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated ; se- 

 condary short, broad, incurved, rounded, the inner more tapering. Tail 

 long, very deeply forked, of twelve feathers, of which the outer are taper- 

 ing, the middle short and rounded. 



Bill brownish-black, deep orange at the base. Iris brown. Feet ver- 

 milion ; claws blackish-brown, yellow at the base. The upper part of the 

 head and elongated occipital feathers greenish-black ; the hind neck white, 

 the rest of the upper parts pale bluish-grey, the tail lighter ; the edges of 

 the wings, the tips and inner edges of the quills, and the shafts white. 

 The first primary is black on the outer web and part of the inner, the 

 next two are similarly marked, but with the black shaded over with pale 

 grey, the loose barbules being of that colour ; the other primaries become 

 gradually hghter. The lower parts are of a beautiful light roseate hue, 

 which soon fades after death ; the under surface of wings and tail white. 



Length to end of tail 14y§ inches, to end of wings 12, to end of claws 

 9t\ ' extent of wings 30 ; wing from flexure 9^ ; tail to end of shortest 

 feathers 4|, to end of longest feathers 7| ; bill along the ridge 1^, along 

 the edge of lower mandible 2^^ ; tarsus j°, middle toe j§, its claw ^'|. 



