840 BIRDS OF INDIA, 



occasion only, on the lake at Ootacamund on the Neilgherries. 



S. gracilis, Gould, appears to be a very closely allied species from 

 Australia and Oceanica; and there are many other allied species 

 recorded. 



987. Sterna Javanica, Horsfield. 



Blyth, Cat. 1711— S. melanogaster, Temminck — Jerdon, Cat. 

 397— Sykks, Cat. 229— S. acuticauda, Gray, Hardwicke, 111. 

 Ind. Zool. pi. 



The Black-bellied Tern. 



Descr. — Head and nape black ; neck, mantle, wings and tail 

 light grey ; face, lores, and ear-coverts white ; chin and throat 

 white ; neck and breast light pearl-grey ; abdomen, vent, and under 

 tail-coverts brown-black. 



Bill orange-yellow ; irides brown ; legs vermilion-red. Length 

 12 inches ; extent 26 ; wing 9 ; tail 6 ; bill at front ly 7 ^ ; tarsus 1. 

 The wings are slightly shorter than the forked tail. 



In winter plumage the head is white mixed with dusky, and the 

 abdomen is pearly-grey instead of black. 



This very elegant Tern is seen in every river of India, hunting 

 singly or in small scattered parties. It breeds on sand- banks in 

 rivers all over the country, laying usually three eggs. Bonaparte 

 classes it under Hydrochelidon. 



Yarrell states that Sterna paradisea Brunnich, ( Oougalii, Mon- 

 tagu) had been sent from India, but I have seen no other notice of 

 this species occurring in this country. 



Gen. Sternula, Blyth. 



Size small, bill slender, long, yellow ; tail short ; head slightly 

 crested. 



This form in its yellow bill, and slightly crested head, approxi- 

 mates to the Sea-Terns, and in its habits is perhaps chiefly a 

 Sea-coast species. 



988. Sternula minuta, Linnjeus. 



Sterna apud Linnaeus — Blyth, Cat. 1712 — Jlrdon, Cat. 401 

 —Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 420. 



