374 APPENDIX. 



GYGIS CANDIDA, Gmelin. 



White Tern. 



Gould, Eandbk. Bds. AusL, Vol. ii., sp. 609, p. 405. 3221 7. 



The single egg laid by this bird for a sitting is deposited in a 

 slight cavity or roughened surface on the bare branch of a tree, 

 usually at a considerable distance from the shore in some valley 

 or sheltered situation. Unlike Anous melanogenys, (G. R. Gray) 

 this bird does not breed in colonies, but returns season after 

 season to the same place and tree to deposit its egg, although they 

 may be repeatedly taken. The trees usually selected are Laguna/ria 

 pater soni, NotelcBa longifolia, and Baloghia lucida* Two eggs 

 taken by Dr. Metcalfe are oval in form and nearly equal in size 

 at both ends ; one is of a stony -buff ground colour, thickly freckled^ 

 spotted, and splashed all over with different shades of brown and 

 greyish-black, the latter colour appearing as if beneath the surface 

 of the shell, in some places these markings are confluent forming, 

 large irregular-shaped patches on the shell; lengtl^ 1-67 x 1'24 

 inch. The other has a light greenish-grey ground colour, which 

 is almost obscured by thick irregularly-shaped linear markings 

 and smears of umber-brown, and nearly obsolete dashes of deep 

 bluish-grey. Length 1-71 x 1'22 inch. 



Hob. Norfolk Island. 



STERNA FULIGINOSA, Gmelm. 

 Sooty Tern. 

 Gould, Hamdbk. Bds. Ausf, Vol. ii., sp. 611, p. 408. 3221 J. 



This bird was found breeding on the rocky ledges and flat parts 

 of the cliffs, but more often on the bare sand ; little or no attempt 

 was made at forming a nest, except in a few instances where a small 

 portion of d^ris was found scraped around the single egg laid by 

 this bird for a sitting. Mr. Saunders who visited the island during 

 the breeding season, collected a large number of the eggs during 



* Crowfoot, Ibis. 1885, p. 267. 



