838 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



flocks in an excited and hurried manner over the surface of the 

 water. I do not think that the birds which I saw thus occupied 

 were at the time engaged in capturing food. 



This little Tern breeds in large churrs on the Ganges, and 

 probably on most other large rivers. Mr. Brooks sent me the eggs 

 procured near Mirzapore. It is found over the greater part of 

 Europe, temperate Asia, and Africa. Bonaparte and others separate 

 the Indian and African races from the European birds. To this 

 genus belong tf. Jissipes and S. nigra of Europe. 



River Terns. 



These birds have longer and more forked tails than the Marsh 

 Terns, and generally a more slender body ; the bill is usually red 

 or yellow. Two or three sub-divisions are distinguished by 

 Systematists. They chiefly frequent rivers, and are less social and 

 gregarious than the Marsh Terns. 



Gen. Seena, Blyth. 



Char. — Bill stout, deep at the base, moderately curving to the tip, 

 deep yellow ; tail long and forked ; feet short, web of small extent. 



This form is somewhat intermediate between the Marsh Terns 

 and the River Tern?, having a stouter Idll than most of the latter. 

 In its habits, however, it is more a river bird. It is classed by Gray, 

 in Hodgson's Birds of Nepal, as a Sylochelidon. There is only one 

 species recorded. 



985. Seena aurantia, Geay. 



Sterna apud Gray, Hardwickk, 111. Ind. Zool, pi. — Blyth, 

 Cat. 170G-S. seena, Sykes, Cat. 230— Jerdon, Cat. 399— S. 

 brevirostris, Gray, (the young) — S. roseata, Hodgson. 



The Large Eiver Tern. 



Desci\ — Whole head above glossy -black ; upper plumage pale- 

 grey ; tail with the lateral feathers white ; whole lower plumage 

 white ; the flanks tinged with ashy. 



Bill bright deep yellow ; hides brown ; legs red. Length 15 

 to 16 inches. Of the larger one, extent 34 ; wing 11 ; tail 1\ ; bill 

 at front 1 ^ ; tarsus 1. 



