292 



fishing close to the shore at Jaffa. In North-east Africa it is not uncommon. Mr. E. Cavendish 

 Taylor observed it at Port Said and Damietta ; Captain Shelley records it from Lower Egypt ; 

 and Von Heuglin says that it is a resident in Lower Egypt and along the coasts of the Red Sea 

 southwards to about the Gulf of Aden, where, in the late autumn and winter, it is numerous. 

 Along the Nile, in Central and Upper Egypt, Nubia, on the Blue and Lower White Nile, and 

 in the swamps of Kordofan it is more of a winter visitant. It is stated by Loche and Malherbe 

 to occur rarely in Algeria ; Favier says that it is very rare near Tangier, and he only obtained a 

 single specimen in February 1844; and Colonel Irby supplements this by another occurrence in 

 the winter of 1869. It is found on the west coast of Africa, and has been recorded from Sierra 

 Leone, the Gaboon, and Gambia. Mr. Andersson says (B. of Damara L. p. 359) it is not uncom- 

 mon in Walwich Bay and on the south-west coast generally ; and Mr. E. L. Layard speaks of it 

 (B. of S. Afr. p. 369) as being a periodical visitant to the Cape of Good Hope, appearing chiefly 

 in summer ; but his son saw a pair on the 17th May, 1865. It has been met with in Algoa Bay, 

 Mozambique, and Madagascar ; and Dr. Kirk, who met with it on the Zambesi, writes (Ibis, 

 1864, p. 337) as follows: — "In the month of January these birds were found breeding in 

 company with the following species (Sterna velox) on the low sand islands off the mouth of the 

 Zambesi. There were commonly two or three eggs in each nest." 



In Asia the present species is found as far east as China. It is said to be common on the 

 Caspian Sea ; and Dr. Severtzoff states that it breeds in Turkestan. Mr. Blanford says (E. Pers. 

 ii. p. 293) that it is not common on the Baluchistan coast, though both he and Mr. Hume 

 obtained specimens. It is more abundant on the Caspian, where, according to Eichwald, it 

 breeds. Menetries says that it is very common at Lenkoran in June. To this Major St. John 

 adds that it is very common on the Shiraz and Kazrun plains in winter. Mr. A. O. Hume writes 

 (Stray Feathers, i. p. 280) as follows: — "The Caspian Tern, which is almost unknown in the 

 North-western Provinces, Oudh, the Punjab, Rajpootana, is occasionally seen in the Indus after 

 that river enters Sindh, and is very common in all the larger lakes of the latter province. In 

 the Muncher lake I have counted more than fifty on the wing at the same time, each bird flying 

 separately on his own responsibility, and never, so far as I have noticed, associated in flocks or 

 parties, as is so often the case with the other Terns and Gulls. In the Kurrachee harbour 

 they were not uncommon ; and I obtained specimens in more than one locality along the Mekran 

 coast, and saw several at Muscat." According to Dr. Jerdon (B. of India, ii. p. 835) it is " by no 

 means uncommon in most parts of India, frequenting rivers, jheels, and tanks. It is generally 

 seen alone or in pairs, rarely a few together ; and it feeds chiefly on fish and prawns. It does not 

 appear to breed in this country." Mr. Holdsworth states that it is seen at all seasons on the 

 coast of Ceylon, invariably in pairs, flying along the shore just outside the line of beach. 



Dr. G. Radde says that about thirty versts from the mouth of the Dseja he met with a 

 considerable number of these Terns, but did not observe it elsewhere in Siberia. Mr. Swinhoe 

 met with it on the coast of China, and says that a few visit the coast of Formosa in winter after 

 severe north-east winds. He also found it plentiful about the harbour of Hochow in February 

 and the beginning of April. From here it is found down southward to Australia and New 

 Zealand. I do not find it recorded from the Philippine Islands ; but, according to Mr. Buller 

 (B. of N. Zeal. p. 280) it is found all round the coasts of New Zealand, and breeds there; and 



