STERNIN^. 845 



The Bkown-winged Teen. 



Descr. — Fore-head white, top of the head black ; nape pure 

 silky-white, plumage above ashy-grey, with white margins to the 

 feathers of the back ; wings dusky-brown, black along the margin, 

 over the radius, and edged in front with white ; quills blackish, 

 paler internally ; face and lower plumage white. 



Bill dusky -reddish, red towards the base of the lower mandible ; 

 gullet blackish; legs coral-red. Length 14 inches; wing 10; 

 tail 6| ; bill at front If ; tarsus -J-q. 



This Tern is occasionally found in the Bay of Bengal ; and is 

 more common in the Indian Ocean. It abounds in the Red Sea. 

 In its colouration it approaches closely to the Noddies. 



Nearly allied is O. serrata, Forstes, (fuliginosus, Gmelin and 

 Gould,) found all through the Pacific Islands. 



Gen. Anous, Leach. 

 Syn. Megalopterus, Boie. 



Char. — Bill long, slender, straight, very slightly curved towards 

 the tip ; gonys well marked, short ; nostrils in a large groove ; 

 wings very long ; tail slightly rounded ; tarsus short ; feet large, 

 fully webbed ; toe serrated. 



The Noddies are well-known Oceanic birds, frequenting tropical 

 and juxta-tropical seas. They differ from most other Terns by their 

 even or somewhat rounded tails, and still more in the manner of 

 their flight, which is steady and slow. They settle on the water 

 when taking their food, which consists chiefly of molluscs and fatty 

 matter, and they are very silent birds. Sundevall, who noted these 

 differences, states that in their mode of life they resemble Petrels 

 rather than Terns. 



993. Anous stolidus, Linnceus. 



Sterna apud Linn^us — Blyth, Cat. 1715 — Gould, Birds of 

 Australia, VII., pi. 34. 



The Noddy. 



Descr. — Entirely sooty brown, with a darker band along the 

 radius, and the quills and tail blacker, somewhat paler on the 

 head and neck ; lores dark brown, with a narrow white line divid- 

 ing this from the hue of the head, which at times (probably in 



