LXVI. 

 STERNA DOUGALLI. (3io>;t.) 



Roseate Tern. 



I am not aware that the Roseate Tern is ever met with so 

 abundantly as others of the genus. Upon the Fern and Co- 

 quet islands, the only places where I have myself had the 

 pleasure of seeing them, they are very limited in number, 

 consisting of a few pairs only, mixed and associating with 

 the numerous flocks of Arctic and Sandwich Terns, from 

 the many thousands of which it is by no means easy to dis- 

 tinguish them ; their eggs are, likewise, laid amongst those of 

 the other species, and so much resemble large oblong varie- 

 ties of the eggs of the Arctic Tern, that the only means of 

 ascertaining them with certainty is by watching the bird set- 

 tle upon them. They seem, however, from the specimens I 

 have examined, to be more constantly of a light colour, and 

 more covered with minute dots than the eggs of the other 

 Terns ; most of the specimens much more so than Fig. 2 ; 

 whilst Fig. 1, possessing more of the Tern-like character, is 

 of rare occurrence. I have a variety, the larger end of which 

 is encircled by a beautiful zone of deep brown and purple 

 spots. The eggs are two or three in number. 



