STBENIDiE 



STBBNA 439 



The young" birds and adults in non-breeding plumage go through 

 corresponding series of changes to those of S. cantiana. 



Distribution. — This Tern is found throughout the Mediterranean 

 and Ked Seas and the coasts of the Indian Ocean from Durban 

 to Australia. It appears to be fairly common on the east coast 

 of Africa and Madagascar, but the only definite record of its 

 occurrence within our limits is an example now in the British 

 Museum obtained at Durban by Gordge. 



763. Sterna dougalli. Boseate Tern. 



Sterna dougalli, Montagu, Orn. Diet. Suppl. (1813) ; Sharpe, ed. 

 Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 702 (1884) ; Saunders, Cat. B. M. xxv, p. 70 

 (1896) ; Beichenoio, Vog. Afr. i, p. 63 (1900). 



Description. Adult. — Forehead, head and nape black, neck 

 white, rest of the upper surface pale lavender-grey, primaries a 

 little darker, especially the first ; inner webs with white inner 

 borders which extend to the tips of the feathers ; tail becoming 

 rather paler, especially the long streamers ; below white with a 

 beautiful pink tinge which is very evanescent. 



Iris dull brown ; bill black, red at the base ; feet coral-red ; 

 claws black. 



Length li-O ; wing 89 ; tail, central feathers 1-70 ; lateral 

 feathers 2-50 ; culmen 1-40 ; tarsus -80. 



In winter the forehead is spotted with white, the underparts 

 have no pink tinge and the bill is black. 



Distribution. — The Eoseate Tern is found .along the eastern 

 coasts of the Atlantic and extends through the Indian Ocean as 

 far as New Caledonia, breeding there and on the Andamans. On 

 the west side of the Atlantic it occurs from Massachusetts to the 

 Caribbean Sea. 



The evidence of its occurrence in South African waters rests 

 only on the presence of examples in the British Museum from the 

 " Cape of Good Hope " and from " Algoa Bay." 



764. Sterna vittata. Eerguelen Tern. 



Sterna vittata, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i, p. 609 (1788) ; Saunders, Cat. B. M. 

 xxv, p. 51 (1896) ; Beichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 65 (1900). 



Description. Adult ilfaZe.— Forehead, lores, crown and nape 

 deep black ; a band of white from the gape below the eye to the 

 nape ; upper surface pale grey ; shafts of the primaries white ; tail 



