844 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



These Terns are true Oceanic birds, and have a wide geographic 

 distribution. In the serration of the mid-toe, they show their near 

 affinity to Anous, from which they differ by their shorter bills and 

 slightly forked tail. 



The first is a link between the Sea-Terns and true Onychoprion, 

 and I follow Blyth in classing it under the latter form, though 

 perhaps it would range better under Ster?nda ; it is however more 

 decidedly Oceanic in its habits. 



991. Onychoprion melanauchen, Temminck. 



Sterna apud Temminck — Blyth, Cat. 1713— Gould, Birds of 

 Australia VII., pi. 28— S. minuta apud, Horsfield — S. mar- 

 ginata, Blyth, (the young.) 



The Black-naped Tern. 



Descr. — Fore-head and head white ; lores, and a line continued 

 through the eyes gradually widening and extending over the nape 

 and hind neck black ; upper plumage pale grey ; the first primary 

 dark grey on the outer web ; lower plumage white. 



Bill black, reddish at the base of the lower mandible and tip ; 

 feet black. Length 12 inches ; wing 9 ; tail 5£ ; bill at front If ; 

 tarsus f . The closed wings are about equal to the tail. 



The plumage of the young bird is much mixed with blackish 

 above, and shows, says Blyth, the propriety of ranking it with 

 Onychoprion. — Bonaparte classes it under Sternula. 



The black-naped Tern has been occasionally found in the Bay 

 of Bengal. It extends through all the Malayan Islands to Aus- 

 tralia. It is stated to breed on the Nicobar Islands, as probably 

 others of the same group do. 



992. Onychoprion anasthsetus, Scopoli. 



Sterna apud Scopoli — Blyth, Cat. 1714 — S. panayana, 

 Latham — Gould, Birds of Australia, VII, p. 33 — S. infuscata, 

 Liciitknstein — S. antarctica, Lesson. 



