226 



STERNA. 



Wing 9" to 11" {S. hirundinacea, 11-|", excepted). 

 246. Sterna seena. The Indian Biver-Tebn. 





'~^^% 



x^^ 



MuUookwalla, 19.10.72. 



t? 15" to 17". Legs red. Bill deep yellow. Mantle and tail-coverts dark 

 grey. Tail pearl-grey. Lateral tail white. Flanks ashy. — In lointer: Head with 

 white streaks. India to Malacca. Three or four eggs (1-65 x 1-25), grey, spotted 

 and blotched brown and purple. (J. 985. B. 1503.) 



247. Sterna melanogaster. The Black-bbllied Eivbr-Tern. 



(J 12" to 13". Legs vermilion. Bill orange. Breast pearl-grey. Tail pale 

 grey, outer rectrices white. Abdomen brown-black. Wing-lining white. — In 

 lointer : Head dusky. Abdomen grey. From S. Afghanistan to Bhutan, through- 

 out India, but not authenticated in Ceylon. Eggs 1-25 X 0-95. (J. 987. B. 1504.) 



248. Sterna fluviatilis. The Common Eiver-Tbrn. 

 3 12^" to 14 J". Legs red. Bill deep red. Black markings on bill near tip. 

 Wings reaching beyond tail. Eemiges twenty-nine. Tail-feathers grey, with 

 white on inner webs. Abdomen greyish. First primary, outer web black, and a 

 broad streak of dark grey next the white shaft on inner web. Rest of inner 

 web white, and tip ash-grey. — In vdnter: Crown streaked and mottled with white. 

 Temperate regions of Asia, Europe, and N. America, ranging into Ladak and 

 higher Himalayan valleys. In winter visiting India and Ceylon. Eggs (1-75 x 1-2) 

 olive, blotched brown and grey. (J. 986. B. 1506.) 



Also S. macrura. 14" to 15". The Arctic Tern. Legs red. Bill red. White streak 

 from base of bill to side of neck. Mantle pearl-grey. Outer web of first primary blackish. 

 Shaft white, and narrow line of grey on inner web, which is white, with ashy tip. Tail-coverts 

 white. Abdomen French grey. — In winter : Forehead and crown mottled white. Circum- 

 polar and in winter southwards to coasts of America and Africa and to 66° S. lat. in Southern 

 Ocean. 



S. hirundinacea. 16^'- Bill and legs red. Bump and tail white. Below nearly white. 

 S. America. 



S. vittata. 16". Bill and feet cherry-red. White moustachial streak prolonged to the 

 nape. Below grey. S. Atlantic. 



