279 



STERNA MINUTA. 



(LITTLE TERN.) 



Sterna minor, Briss. Orn. vi. p. 206, pi. 19. fig. 2 (1760). 



Sterna minuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 228 (1766). 



Sterna metopoleucos, S. G. Gmel. Nov. Comm. Petrop. xv. p. 475 (1770-1771). 



La petite Hirondelle de Mer, Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. viii. p. 337 (1781). 



Sternula minuta (L.), Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 



Sternula fissipes, C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 790 (1831). 



Sternula danica, C. L. Brehm, op. cit. p. 791 (1831). 



Sternula pomarina, C. L. Brehm, op. cit. p. 791 (1831). 



Sterna antarctica, Forst. Descr. Anim. p. 107 (1844). 



Sterne naine, French ; Bondine di mare minore, Italian ; Zwerg-Meerschivalbe, German ; 

 Dwerg Zeezwaluw, Dutch ; Dvaergterne, Danish ; Smatama, Swedish ; Kratchka malaya, 

 Russian. 



Figurce notabiles. 



D'Aubenton, PI. Enl. 996 ; Werner, Atlas, Palmipedes, pi. 11 ; Kjaerb. Orn. Dan. taf. 40 b ; 

 Naumann, Vog. Deutschl. taf. 254 ; Sundevall, Svensk. FogL pi. 48. fig. 5 ; Gould, B. of 

 Eur. pi. 420; id. B. of G. Brit. v. pi. 73; Schlegel, Vog. Nederl. pi. 358. 



Ad. fronte, gula et corpore subtus albis : stria a basi rostri per oeulos ducta, pileo et nucha nigris : corpore et 

 alis supra, cum uropygio, pallide cano-CEeruleis, supracaudalibus et Cauda, albis : remigibus primariis 

 tribus externis nigricantibus, in pogonio interno albo marginatis, rhachibus nigricantibus : remigibus 

 secundariis dorso concoloribus : rostro flavido, versus apicem nigro : iride fusca, : pedibus rufescenti- 

 aurantiacis. 



Juv. pileo pallide fusco-cinereo, nigro notato, nucha et vitta oculari nigris : corpore supra sordide cano-cseruleo, 

 plumis nigro et albo marginatis : cauda sicut in adulto sed breviore et versus apicem vix nigro-cinereo 

 notata, : remigibus et corpore subtus sicut in adulto picturatis. 



Adult in summer (Pagham, Sussex, 28th May) . Forehead white, a stripe from the base of the bill through 

 the eye, crown, and nape deep black ; entbe mantle, including the upper part of the rump, dark pearl- 

 grey or French grey; lower rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail pure white; first three quills with black 

 or blackish shafts and blackish in colour, broadly margined on the inner web nearly to the tip with 

 white ; rest of the quills French grey ; entire underparts pure white ; bill yellow, tipped with black ; 

 iris dark brown; legs bright orange. Total length about 10 inches, culmen L4, wing 6"75, tail 3'8, 

 tarsus 06, lateral rectrices extending 1"95 beyond the central ones. 



Adult in winter. Does not materially differ from the summer dress ; but the grey on the upper parts is rather 

 darker, and even the portions of the upper parts which in the summer are pure white have a faint tinge 

 of grey. 



