MALAYAN ORNITHOLOGY, 203 



bad the legs green, blotched with black. 



Sterna seen a (Sykes.). 



During May, 1879, I got one of these Terns alive, it having been 

 caught by a fisherman on the shore near Malacca. It was a 

 female, length 16 to 17 inches, bill at front 2^, tarsus 1, bill 

 from gape 3 ; in colour bright yellow ; irides dark brown ; head 

 and pointed crest over the nape deep blue-black ; the cheeks, a 

 band across the upper parts of the back, and all the underparts 

 white, slihgtly dusky on the breast ; upper parts delicate French 

 grey, very silvery on the wings ; inner portions of the inner 

 webs of wing-quills white ; tail very deeply forked. 



I got other specimens near Singapore during September and 

 October. 



Sterna sumatrana (E-affl.). The Black-naped Tern. 



Common among the islands at the south of the peninsula. A 

 specimen shot in the Johor Strait late in September was a male, 

 length 13| inches, beak at front 1|; irides dark brown; beak 

 and legs black ; tail very long and forked, the two outer feathers 

 projecting 1J inch beyond the others ; top of head, also the face, 

 silvery white ; a black streak passes from the beak through the eye 

 and enlarges into a board patch on the nape ; upper parts, tail, 

 and wings pale French grey ; outer web of first primary black ; 

 underparts glossy white delicately tinged with a most beautiful 

 rosy hue. Its stomach containe 1 small fishes. 



SULA AUSTRALIS (?). 



In June, 1877, I saw several Gannets sitting on some drifting 

 tree-trunks a few miles out to sea off the mouth of the Perak 

 river. 



Attagen minor (6m.), The Frigate-bird. 



On 23rd September, 1880, I got an immature Frigate-bird on 

 Pulau Nongsa, about ten miles off the south coast of Singapore ; 

 I believe it to be the only specimen recorded as having been 

 obtained in the Straits. 



With some friends I was shooting green Pigeons as they came 

 at dusk to roost on the island. Shortly after sunset, while 

 waiting for the Pigeons, we saw a large bird flying towards the 

 shore, and sailing along close over the surface of the sea, As 



