STEBNID^ 



STERNA 437 



as far as the Hawaian Islands and Australia, though not reaching 

 New Zealand. Its range extends round the southern extremity 

 of Africa into the Atlantic as far north as Walvisch Bay. 



On the South African coasts it is a fairly common bird, though 

 not often observed. The following are recorded localities : Walvisch 

 Bay, November (Andersson), Table Bay, common (Layard), False 

 Bay, October (S. A. Mus.), Port Alfred, July (Albany Museum), 

 East London in summer (Wood), Durban Harbour (Ayres and 

 Butler). 



Habits. — This fine Tern is fairly common in Table Bay, where 

 it can be seen through most of the year in small flocks ; it feeds 

 chiefly on fish, and can be observed hovering over the water with 

 beak bent vertically downwards on the watch for them ; its flight 

 is high and quick, and it has a loud cry. 



Mr. Layard states that it breeds on the islands on the west 

 coast, and that it lays two eggs of a rich cream colour, dotted, 

 blotched and streaked with very dark-brown and purple, and 

 measuring 2-48 x 1-58. 



Sir John Kirk found this Tern nesting along with the Caspian 

 Tern on some sandy islands at the mouth of the Zambesi. The 

 nests were in a slight hollow in the sand close to the water's edge. 



761. Sterna cantiaca. Sandiuich Tern. 



Sterna cantiaca, G-mel. Syst. Nat. i, p. 606 (1788) ; Laijard, B. S. Afr. 

 p. 370 (1867) ; Ourney, in Anclersson's B. Damaral. p. 361 (1872) ; 

 Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 87 ; Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. £01, pi. 586 (1877) ; 

 Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 702 (1884) ; Saunders, Cat. B. 

 M. XXV, p. 75 (1896) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 163 (1896) ; Eeichenow, 

 Vog. Afr. i, p. 62 (1900). 



Description. Adult in non-breeding plumage. — Forehead and 

 crown white, slightly spotted and streaked with black, which 

 becomes predominant on the nape and round the eyes ; feathers 

 of the nape elongated and pointed, forming a crest ; upper surface 

 pale pearly-grey, becoming paler round the hind neck and on the 

 tail ; outer primaries dark, almost black, with a white band along 

 the inner edge of the inner web, not reaching the tips of the 

 feathers ; outer tail-feathers white not much elongated ; below 

 white throughout. 



Iris dark brown, bill black tipped with yellow, legs black. 



