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TRUDEAUS TERN. 



Sterna Trvdeaui. 



PLATE CCCCIX. Adult, 



This beautiful Tern, which has not hitherto been described, was 

 procured at Great Egg Harbour in New Jersey, by my much esteemed 

 and talented friend, J. Trudeau, Esq. of Louisiana, to whom I have 

 great pleasure in dedicating it. Nothing is known as to its range, or 

 even the particular habits in which it may differ from other species. 

 The individual obtained was in the company of a few others of the 

 same kind I have received from Mr Trudeau an intimation of the 

 occurrence of several individuals on Long Island. 



Sterna Trudeaui. 



Adult in winter plumage. Plate CCCCIX. Fig. 2. 



Bill about the length of the head, rather slender, much compressed, 

 acuminate. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly deelinato- 

 convex, the ridge rather broad and convex at the base, very narrow in 

 the rest of its extent, the sides sloping at the base, nearly erect and 

 convex toward the end, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip very 

 narrow. Nasal groove rather short, but with a slight channel, sur- 

 mounted by a ridge, running from its anterior part to the edge of the 

 mandible about three-fourths of an inch from the tip. Lower mandi- 

 ble with the angle long, very narrow, and pointed, the outline of the 

 crura a little concave, that of the rest ascending and straight, a very 

 slight prominence or angle being formed at their junction, the sides 

 erect and slightly convex, the edges sharp and inclinate, the tip acumi- 

 nate, the gape-line slightly arcuate. 



Head of moderate size, ovato-oblong, neck of moderate length ; body 

 slender. Feet small ; tibia bare for half an inch ; tarsus very short, 

 compressed, anteriorly scutellate ; toes small, slender ; the first ex- 

 tremely small, the third longest, the fourth much longer than the se- 

 cond, all scutellate above, the anterior connected by reticulate webs, 

 of which the inner is more deeply emarginate. Claws moderately 



