STEENA. 409 



Saddle Cay, and is also found in the West Indian Islands, but does not seem to visit 

 the coasts of South America. 



This is a social bird, and is found in great numbers in company with other Terns 

 especially the Noddies (Anous). Salvin found it common about the Cays of the Belize 

 coast, where it is known to the Creoles as the "Eocky Bird." He discovered its eggs 

 on Saddle Cay on the 10th of May: a little sand was scratched away for a nest, under 

 such shelter as the bushes that grew nearest the beach afforded s lo. s. anmtheta was 

 also found nesting at Clarence Harbour by Mr. Cory, in company with S. dougalli and 

 S.fuhginosa, the eggs resembling those of the last named bird, but being more spotted 

 about the larger end; they were deposited in sheltered clefts in ledges of rocks or in 

 cavities amongst the loose boulders which lined the sea-shore 3. 



According to Mr. Gates, the eggs are usually of a blunt oval form, but some are 

 rather pointed at the smaller end. The ground-colour varies from cream to rich 

 pinkish-buff, and this is marked with specks, spots, and blotches of reddish-brown. 

 These markings are not very thickly distributed over the shell, nor are they of very 

 large size, but they are distinct and sharply defined, and it is seldom that two or more 

 are confluent, while the underlying pattern is of a pale purple colour 7. 



8. Sterna fuliginosa. 



L'Hirondelle de mer a grande envergure, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. viii. p. 345 \ 



Sooty Tern, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. 2, p. 353 \ 



Sterna fuliginosa, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 605 '; Baird,. Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. 



ii. p. 312"; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 26 = ; Saunders, Cat. Birds Brit. 



Mus. XXV. p. 106 '; Gates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. i. p. 191 ' ; Anthony, Auk, xv. p. 316'. 

 Haliplana fuliginosa, Coues, Ibis, 1864, p. 392' ; Salv. Ibis, 1864, pp. 381 '", 385 "; 1866, p. 200'= ; 



P. Z. S. 1867, p. 161 "; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 184". 

 Onychoprion fuliginosus, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 572". 

 Haliplana fuliginosa, var. crissalis (Baird, MSS.), Grayson, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. pp. 285 ", 



318"; Lawr. Mem, Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 318 '\ 

 Sterna fuliginosa crissalis, Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna, no. 14, p. 24". 



Ptil. cestiv. S. ancesthetce similis, sed major : supra fuliginoso-nigricans, interscapulio minime pallidiore, sed 

 dorso concolore ; fronte alba latiore et supercilio haud pone oculum posticum producto ; corpore subtus 

 albo, lateribus et crisso vix cineraceo lavatis : rostro et pedibus nigris, vix rubro tinctis ; iride castanea. 

 Long, tota circa 16-0, alse 11-5, caudse 3'1, rectrice extima 6-0, culm. 1-8, tarai 0-95. (Deacr. maris 

 adulti ex Southern Water Cay. Mus. nostr.) 



Ptil. Mem. ptilosi sestivae similis, sed loris pileoque albo maculatis distinguenda. 



Juv. notseo toto fuliginoso-brunneo, plumis singulis albido marginatis : subtus fuliginosa, plumis basaliter 

 albidis, abdomine imo albo : rostro et pedibus rubro- brunneis. (Descr. avis jun. ex insula " Ascencion " 

 dicta. Mus. Brit.) 



Hab. North Ameeica, Carolinas, casually to New England 5. — Ebvillagigedo Is., 



Socorro I. [Grayson^^^^^^, Anthony^). — W. Mexico, Mazatlan (Forrer^), Isabel I., 



off San Bias, Tres Marias Is. (Grayson ^ ^^ ^^, JSfelson^^); British Honduras, 



Cays of the Belize coast 12, Curlew Cay 10 11 1^ Saddle Cay ^ 12^ Southern 



BIOL. CBNTR.-AMEE., Aves, Vol. III., November 1903. 52 



