84 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



The White-capped Noddy. 



Micranous leucocapilltis. 



Caribbean Sea, intertropical Atlantic, both sides of South Africa, 

 Indian Ocean, Northern Australia, and most of the islands of the South 

 Pacific as far as the Society Group. 



Similar to preceding species, but forehead and crown whiter, and 

 the rest of the body much darker, lores jet black, upper and underparts 

 nearly black. Total length 13 inches, culmen 2, wing 8.9 to 9.1, tail 

 4.8 to 5, tarsus 0.9. 



Breed in colonies. The nest is built of seaweed and placed 

 on shrubs or on projecting rocks. The single egg is cream 

 colour to white, and the markings reddish-brown; these vary 

 from large blotches to small spots and lines, and are usually- 

 much more plentiful on the larger end; the undersurface 

 markings are purplish. The eggs measure about 1.75 x 1.25 

 inch. 



The White Tern. 

 Gygis alba. 



Indian Ocean to Australia, the Pacific Islands and Islands of South 

 Atlantic. 



Above and below white, except a narrow black ring round the eye; 

 bill black; irides blue. Total length from 12 to 13 inches, eulmen 1.8, 

 wing 9.5, tail 4.25 to 5, tarsus 0.6. 



The single egg is laid on the bare horizontal branch of a tree ; 

 it varies in colour from a dull white to pale buff; it is curiously 

 and thickly marked and streaked with lines, large and small 

 spots, blotches and scrolls, &c., their colour being brown of 

 varying shades, those under the surface purple. The eggs 

 measure from 1.51 to 1.81 in length and from 1.18 to 1.30 in 

 breadth. 



Sub-family Larincv. 



Bill with upper mandible longer and bent over tip of lower. 

 Tail square (Australian). 



Genus Larus. — Nostrils linear. 



Genus Gabianus. — Nostrils ovate, very small. 



