ANSERES. 61 



widens at the head, and passing over the eyes is continued by a nar- 

 row stripe above the frontal base of the bill. 



Beak greenish yellow, darker towards the tip. Legs greenish 

 yellow. 



Length, about 15 inches. 



of bill, from gape, nearly 1^ inch. 

 ,, front, 1 inch 5 lines. 



of wings, S inches 9 lines. 



of tail, 2 inches 3 lines. 



of leg, from thigh to claw of middle toe, 7| inches. 



of tarsus, 2 inches. 



of middle toe, 2 inches 5 lines. 



of outer toe, 2 inches. 



of inner toe, 1 inch 9 lines. 



of hallux, 1 inch. 



This bird is said to be an inhabitant of fresh-water swamps. 

 A living specimen was brought to Mr. Motley, which at first 

 took any sort of animal food, such as chopped eggs, or dried 

 meat, which was ofi"ered it; after a while, how^ever, it refused 

 everything but small shrimps, and when the supply of these 

 failed, it refused to return to its former diet, and died. 



Order Anseres. 

 Fam. Laridse. 



Sub-fam. SterninEe. 

 Gen. Sterna. 



Sterna cristata (Staph.) (?). 

 Thalasseus pelecanoides (Gould). 



Above, front white, crown black, with a short crest of the same 

 colour; back, neck, wings, and tail, light blueish gray. 



Below, white, feathers on flank white, with dusky markings. 

 Feet jet black; bill dusky (perhaps yellow when fresh). Iris 

 bright yellow. 



Length, about 1 foot 5 J inches. 



,, of bill, from gape, about 2f inches.* 



,, ,, front, about 2 inches 4 lines. 



„ of tail, 6 inches. 



„ of wings, 13 inches. 



„ of tarsus, 1 inch. 



„ of middle toe, 1 inch 2 lines. 



„ of outer toe, 1 inch 1 line. 



,, of inner toe, barely 11 lines 



* The tip of the bill in our specimens having been broken, the measurement of 

 that part may probably not be quite correct. 



