668 



MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE STERNIN^E. 



[June 20, 



Marquesas. From that group, apparently trie outpost of the species, 

 I have examined three specimens, which differ so remarkably from 



Fig. 4. 



Head of Gygis Candida. 



all others that I cannot consider them mere varieties, and propose 

 for them the name of 



Gygis microrhyncha, sp. nov. 



Alba : similis G. candidse, sed minor, rostro multo minore tenitiore, 

 rectrieum scapis albis nee nigris, distinguenda. 



In length of wing it is nearly an inch shorter than G. Candida ; 

 the tail-feathers are more rounded, and the 3rd is the longest, 

 whereas the 2nd is the longest in the larger species : the shafts of 

 the first three primaries are merely clay-coloured, and the rest are pure 

 white, whereas in G. Candida they are all nearly black ; and barely 

 a trace of colour is to be observed on those of the tail. The bill is 



Fig. 5. 



Head of Gygis microrhyncha. 



slender at the base, and quite different in shape from that of G. Can- 

 dida (as shown in the accompanying drawings). 



Sparrman's figure and description are both very bad; but 

 Gmelin's, based upon Latham, distinctly points out the character- 

 istics of the larger and black-shafted species ; so I have adopted his 

 name for it. On the other hand I cannot identify Sparrman's bird 

 [32] 



