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Ordee A^^SERES.] 



[Fam. LARID^. 



STEENA NEREIS. 



(LITTLE WHITE TERN.) 



Stermda nereis^ Gould, P. Z. S. 1842, p. 140. 



Sterna parva^ Ellman, ZooL 1861, p. 7473. 



Sterna nereis^ Pelz. Verh. zooL-bot. Gesellsch. Wien, xvii. p. 318 (1867). 



Sterna minuta, Finsch, J. f. O. 1867, pp. 337, 347. 



Sterna alba^ Potts, Trans. N.-Z, Instit. 1870, vol. iii. p. 106. 



Native name. — Tara-iti. 



Ad. ptiL (Bstiv, supr^ dilute cinereus^ tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus : remigibus intus albis^ extus cano 



lavatis^ primariis duobus externis extus nigricantibus^ scapis albis^ pennis minoribus versus apicem albis^ 

 secundariis intimis dorso concoloribus^ dorso postico et uropygio cum supracaudalibus albis : Cauda 

 alba : pileo postico et nucha cum regione oculari et supraparotica nigris : fronte lata^ genis et facie 

 laterali et corpore subtus toto albis : rostro Isete flavido : pedibus flavis, unguibus nigricantibus : iride 

 nigra. 



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Ad. ptiL hiem. similis ptilosi sestivse^ sed pileo summo albo nigro vario : nucha nigra. 



Juv, fronte et pileo cinerascenti-albis fuscescente variis : linea crescente ab oculo postico circa nucham pro- 



ducta nigra : suprk dilute cinereus, plumis versus apicem fascia irregulari brunnca transnotatis : rostro 

 flavicanti-brunneo : pedibus sordide flavis. 



Adult in summer. Forehead and along the base of upper mandible white ; spot in front of each eye^ crown 

 of the head, and nape black; throat, fore neck, and all the under surface silvery white; hind neck, 

 shoulders, back, and upper surface of wings delicate silvery grey, darker on the primaries j rump and 

 tail, with the upper and lower coverts, pure white. Irides black ; bill bright yellow ; tarsi and toes 

 yellow, the claws darker. Length 9 inches; wing, from flexure, 7-5; tail 3 (median feathers 1 inch 

 shorter) ; bill, along the ridge 1'25, along the edge of lower mandible 1-35 ; tarsus -6; middle toe and 

 claw -7. 



Adult in winter. Differs in having the crown of the head white, mixed with black, darkening outwards, the 

 nuchal collar being entirely black. 



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Obs. In some examples the first primary is margined on the outer web with black ; in others it is of a 

 uniform dark grey. 



Young. Forehead and crown greyish white, mottled with dusky ; from the eyes a crescent of greyish 

 black, which encircles the occiput ; the plumage of the upper parts silvery grey, mixed with white, and 



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