THE SANDWICH TERN. 701 



N. America, wintering on south Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Casual 

 Faeroes. Northern birds are migratory, wintering in Africa, India 

 and Sunda Island. Australian and New Zealand birds have been 

 separated, but require confirmation. 



Genus STERNA L. 



Sterna Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 137 (1758 — Type by tautonymy 

 and subsequent designation S. hirundo). 



Medium and small Terns with generally slender, very slightly 

 curved, laterally compressed, pointed bills, about length of head or 

 longer. Tarsus short, as long as middle toe with claw or slightly 

 shorter or longer. Wings long and pointed. Tail deeply forked, 

 outer tail-feather much longer than rest, and ending in a more or 

 less narrow tip (so-called " streamers "). Toes completely webbed, 

 hind toe present. Over 30 species in all parts of World. 



Key to species of genus Sterna {adults in summer). 



, J" Forehead white 2 



\ Crown black to base of bill ... 3 



2 f Wing under 200 mm 



\ Wing over 200 mm 



("Larger, bill longer than 45 mm., feathers of 

 I nape forming a conspicuous crest of pointed 



„ J feathers 



{ Smaller, bill shorter than 45 mm., feathers of 

 nape not forming a conspicuous crest of 



[_ pointed feathers 4 



. J Underside snow-white or with pink tinge 

 \ Underside with greyish tinge ... 5 

 f Bill as a rule entirely red, tarsus under 1 8 mm., 

 ) dark colour on inner web of outer primary 



J more restricted* 



I Bill with more or less extended blackish tip, 

 tarsus over 18 mm., dark colour on inner 

 1 web of outer primary more extended . S. hirundo, p. 708 



STERNA SANDVICENSIS 



438. Sterna sandvicensis sandvicensis Lath. — THE SANDWICH 

 TERN. 



Sterna Sandvicensis Latham, Gen. Syn., Suppl., 1, p. 296 (1787 — Kent, 



ex Latham, Gen. Synops., in, 2, p. 356, Sandwich in Kent). 



Sterna Cantiaca Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, 2, p. 606 "(1789 — New name for 



Latham's Sandwich Tern). 



Sterna Boysii Latham, Index Orn., 11, p. 806 (1790 — Also ex Gen. 



Synops., in, 2, p. 356, Sandwich, Kent). 



Sterna cantiaca Gmelin, Yarrell, in, p. 540 ; Saunders, p. 643. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Fore-head and 

 lores white ; in front of eye small black spot and under eye a few 

 black streaks ; fore-part of crown white with small black spots or 



* This character is, however, variable. 



S. albifrons, p. 

 S. fuscata, p. 



715 

 718 



sandvicensis, p. 



701 



S. dougallii, p. 



705 



S. paradiscea, p. 



712 



