298 GAVi*. 



297. STERNA SINENSIS. 

 (ORIENTAL LESSER TERN.) 



SterrM sinensis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 608 (1788). 



The Oriental Lesser Tern is easily distinguished from the other 

 Japanese Terns by its small size (wing from carpal joint 7 to 6 inches) . 

 It differs from our Lesser Tern in having the shafts of the three 

 outer primaries white instead of brown. The forehead is white^ and 

 the bill and the feet are yellow. 



Figures : Gould, Birds of New Guinea, v. pi. 73, as Stemula 

 placens. 



«f>,^ ~ ' ^'^>'' 



Head of Sterna sinensis. Natural size. 



The Oriental Lesser Tern is the eastern representative of our 

 Lesser Tern, and breeds in Southern Japan. - There are several 

 examples from the neighbourhood of Yokohama, and one from the 

 Loo-Choo Islands in the Pryer collection (Seebohm, Ibis, 1887, 

 p. 181). There can be little doubt that the examples of the Little 

 Tern obtained by the Perry expedition in the last-named locality in 

 August 1854 are referable to this species (Cassin, Exp. Am. Squad. 

 China Seas and Japan, ii. p. 348). This is probably the northern 

 limit of its range, which extends south to Northern Australia and 

 west to Ceylon. 



Eggs in the Pryer collection do not differ in any way from common 

 varieties of those of Sterna minuta. 



