STEENA. 405 



4. Sterna cantiaca. 



Sandwich Tern, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. 2, p. 356 \ 



Sterna cantiaca, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 606'; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 569'; Saunders, Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 75"; Gates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. i. p. 186°. 

 Thalasseus cantiacus, Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 51 '. 

 Thalasseus cantianus, Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 234''. 

 Sterna cantiana, Salv. Ibis, 1889, p. 379 *. 

 Thalasseus acuflavidus, Salv. Ibis, 1864, pp. 381 ', 386"; 1865, p. 190"; 1866, p. 198''; Coues, 



Ibis, 1864, p. 389 ". 

 Sterna acuflavida, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 310 ". 

 Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida, Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. ii. p. 288 '° ; 



A. 0. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 24'". 



Ftil. cestiv. Supra pulchre margaritacea ; uropygio, supracaudalibus et rectricibus pure albis ; alis dorso 

 concoloribus, secundariis intus et apicem versus albis ; primariis cinereis, juxta rbachidem albam 

 nigrioantibus vel scbistaceo-nigris, intus ad apicem albo marginatis ; pileo toto nucbaque uigerrimis, 

 nuchas cristatse plumis acuminatis ; collo postico et interscapulio summo vix albicantibus ; loris et facie 

 laterali dimidiatis et corpore subtus toto pure albis, pectore vix roseo induto : rostro nigro, albo vel 

 flavido terminato ; pedibus nigris ; iride saturate brunnea. Long, tota circa 16'0, alse 11'7, caudse 2-7, 

 rectrice extima 5-2, culm. 2"1, tarsi 0'95. (Descr. maris adulti aestiv. ex Lighthouse Eeef. Mus. nostr.) 



5 . Ptil. Mem. ptilosi sestivse similis, sad subtus pure alba, minime roseo adumbrata, pUeo albo, postice 

 nigro striolato, regione oculari, pilei postici lateribus et nucha cristata nigris. Long, tota circa 15-0, 

 alse 10"8. (Descr. feminse adultse ex Chiapam. Mus. nostr.) 



Hai. North Amebica, South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, north casually to Southern New 

 England ^ ^^. — Mexico, Gulf of Tehuantepec, San Mateo {Sumichrast ^ '^), Laguna 

 Verde and La Antigua, Vera Cruz (Trujillo *), Celestin, N. Yucatan (Schott ^^), 

 Coaumel I. {Gaumer^^); Bkitish Honduras, Lighthouse Reef ^ 4^ Saddle Cay 9, 

 No'rthern Two Cays ^ (0. S. ^ ^^) ; Guatemala, both coasts ^^, Chiapam 

 (0. S.^ 11 1^). — Seas op Temperate Europe to the Caspian, coasts of Africa in 

 winter. Red Sea east to Persian Gulf and coasts of Sind *. 



The Sandwich Tern is an inhabitant of Temperate Europe and Western Asia, and is 

 found also in Florida and the Gulf States of North America. By some authorities 

 the American bird is separated as a distinct race, S. acufiamda, but Mr. Howard 

 Saunders ^ considers the European and American birds to be inseparable. 



aS'. cantiaca is distinguishable from 8. doxigalli by its larger size as well as by its 

 black feet and bill ; the feathers of the nape are also prolonged and pointed. 



This Tern breeds in Florida, and occurs on both coasts of Mexico and Guatemala in 

 winter i^. Salvin met with the species on the islands off the coast of British Hon- 

 duras ^ I*', but did not find it breeding. 



It is distinctly a sea-bird, rarely nesting at any considerable distance from water *. 

 The eggs are two or three in number, laid in a depression in the sand, and are 

 beautifully marked and varied. Mr. Gates states that the ground-colour ranges from 



