Order ANSEBES.] [Fam. LARID^E. 



HYDROCHELIDON LEUCOPTERA. 



(WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN.) 



Sterna fissipes, Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 338 (1811). 

 Sterna leucoptera, Meisner u. Schinz, Vog. d. Schweiz, p. 264 (1815). 

 Hydrochelidon leucoptera, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563. 

 Viralva leucoptera, Steph. Gen. Zool. xiii. p. 170 (1825). 

 Hydrochelidon nigra, Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 660 (1846). 



Ad. ptil. (Estiv. supra nitide niger, dorso et scapularibus paullo fumoso lavatis : dorso postico et uropygio 

 albis : cauda alba : tectricibus alarum minimis albis, medianis et majoribus pulchre cinereis : remigibus 

 nigris, primariis interioribus cams, secundariis nigris dorso concoloribus : facie laterali et corpore sub- 

 tus toto nitide nigris : crisso et subcaudalibus albis : subalaribus nigris, extus albo notatis : rostro nigro : 

 pedibus pallide rubris : iride nigra. 



Ad. ptil. Mem. supra dilute cinereus, collo postico nigricante notato : tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, 

 quibusdam minoribus versus basin brunnescentibus : remigibus nigricantibus, seapis ocbraceis, pri- 

 mariorum pogonii interni dimidio albo, secundariis cinereo lavatis : rectricibus supra cinereis, extends 

 albicantibus anguste albido limbatis : facie et collo lateralibus torquem interruptum collarem formanti- 

 bus : subtiis omnino albus : rostro nigro versus basin rubescente : pedibus flavidis. 



Adult in summer. Head, neck, and all the under surface shining black ; the whole of the scapulars, and the 

 back, smoky black ; upper wing-coverts dark grey, becoming white towards the edge of the wing ; first 

 two primaries greyish black, with white shafts, and broadly marked with white on their inner webs ; the 

 rest of the primaries dark silvery grey, smoky on their inner webs ; secondaries sooty grey, the inner 

 ones darker ; rump and tad, with upper and lower coverts, pure white. Irides and bill black ; legs 

 dull red. Total length 8 - 5 inches ; extent of wings 21 ; wing, from flexure, 8 ; tad 2*75; bill, along the 

 ridge - 9, along the edge of lower mandible l - 25 ; bare tibia "25 ; tarsus *75 ; middle toe and claw 1 ; 

 hind toe and claw 2. 



Adult in winter. Forehead, sides of the head, and all the under surface pure white ; occiput, ear- coverts, 

 nape, and hind neck greyish black; upper surface of back, wings, and tail dark grey; the small wing- 

 coverts shaded with brown ; the primaries sooty black, with white shafts ; the secondaries with dark 

 shafts, and tinged more or less with grey. 



I KNOW of only one instance of the occurrence of this beautiful Tern in New Zealand. On the 

 12th of December, 1868, Mr. D. Monro shot a pair of them on the Waihopai river-bed in the 

 Province of Nelson ; and one of these is now in the Colonial Museum. They were in full summer 



