150 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



about our boat within a few feet of our heads. The discharge of a 

 gun among them only tended to increase their apparent interest 

 in us." 



SOOTY TEEN 

 (Sterna ftiliginosa, (imel.) 



Male (breeding -plumage). — Forehead and upper part of lores 

 white ; head and nape deep glossy black ; entire upper surface and 

 wings blackish-brown, the latter white along the outside edges ; 

 outer webs of lateral tail feathers white ; under surface white ; bill, 

 legs, and feet black, slightly tinged with red. Dimensions in mm. : 

 —Length, 430; bill, 51; wing, 300; tail, 191; tarsus, 24. 



Female (breeding plumage). — Similar to male. 



Male and Female (winter plu-mage). — Similar to the above save 

 that the crown is flecked with white. 



Immature. — "Brownish-black above, darker on the upper 

 wing coverts ; outer tail feathers nearly as sooty-black as the rest 

 of the rectrices, except towards the tips ; tarsi and toes reddish- 

 brown " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. — None formed, the egg being laid on the sand or on the 

 ground under bushes. Breeds in large colonies. 



Eggs. — Clutch one; stout oval in shape; texture fairly fine; 

 surface shghtly glossy; colour warmish white to pinkish, blotched 

 and spotted, especially about the stouter end, with chestnut and 

 dull purplish-brown. Dimensions in mm. of odd examples: — (1) 

 50 X 35, (2) 50 X 36, (3) 60 x 36.5. 



Breeding Season. — November to January. 



Geographical Distribution. — Seas of Tasmania (?) and Aus- 

 tralia; "also tropical and juxta- tropical seas, wherever suitable 

 islands and reefs exist ; occasionally wandering to Maine, in North 

 America, and to Europe, even as far as England. Almost unknown 

 on the South American side of the Pacific ; otherwise very generally 

 distributed" (B. M.'Cat.) 



Observations. — It is somewhat doubtful whether this Tern 

 really does come as far south as the Tasmanian seas, but at the 

 same time it is quite probable stragglers do come down. Mr. A. 

 J. Campbell states that he has seen eggs of this species supposed 

 to have been taken in the Furneaux Group, but he was unable to 

 obtain confirmatory evidence. 



In an interesting account of this Tern on Ascension Island, 

 Captain Sperling writes: — "Leaving Comfortless Cove about the 

 middle of the day, I walked two dreary miles of cinders and ashes, 

 uncheered by a symptom of vegetation, before I noticed flocks of 

 Terns converging from various parts of the ocean to a spot appar- 

 ently about a mile in front of me ; but as yet I observed nothing 

 of the 'fair.' At length, on turning slightly to the left, and sur- 

 mounting a low ridge, the whole scene was disclosed. A gradual 

 incline of a quarter of a mile terminated in a plain of ten or fifteen 



