ONYCIIONMON 1WNAYHNS1S. 



PAN A YAN TERN. Genus: Onychoprion. 



\MONG tli. vast DUmbers of Noddies and Sooty Terns frequenting the lonely Houtman's Abrolhos 

 and the low. sandv islets of Tones Straits, fi few birds of this speeies may be seen, generally in 

 pairs, and although often in tin- company of the other species when wandering over the ocean in search 

 of food, it is of solitary hal.it when resorting to the shore for repose or breeding purposes. 



AJthough mel with in such limited numbers at the great nurseries of the other species on the 

 Australian coast, there is doubtless some undiscovered breeding place about the Gulf of Carpentaria or the 

 seas of the East Indian Archipelago, for they are fairly abundant in those waters, and numbers occasionally 

 attend the wanderiDg cruises of whaleships, picking up the refuse oily matter thrown overboard. 



When visiting the islands in Torres Straits in H.M.S. "Rattlesnake," Mr. Macgillivray and the 

 Bailors who accompanied him observed a number of turtle shells arranged — doubtless by the natives who 

 sometimes visit the place on the Bhore of Bramble Key. On turning these over he was surprised to 

 discover under each >ln ll a I'aiiayan Tern, sitting on her egg in the most contented manner. On Sophia 

 [sland, an uninhabited spot about eleven degrees south of the Equator and near the Ellice Group of 

 islands, a small colony of this species exists, and here the birds breed undisturbed, save for the occasional 

 \i-it oi some island trading vessel, touching at this lonely isle for the purpose of procuring the eggs of 

 the green turtle. At this place the birds deposit their eggs amongst the loose broken coral that lines 

 the shore above high water mark. The eggs are much smaller than those of the Sooty Tern, but have 

 the same colouring, and are looked upon by the natives as an especial delicacy. 



I nlike the other allied species, it is not gregarious during the period of incubation. Seeking 

 some sheltering rock standing among the debris of broken coral and shells lining the shore, the female 

 bird deposits her single egg, without making any attempt at the formation of a nest ; and until the 

 young bird i> hatched and has gained strength of wing, the male is most unwearying in supplying 

 his mate with food, which consists principally of very small fish and the various mollusca and medusa) 

 found «>n the reef. 



Clown of the head and nape of the neck, a dee}) black ; on the forehead a large V shaped mark 

 of greyish-white; back, wings and tail a bright brown, the outer tail-feather white at the base; all the 

 under BUrface white, washed with grey; bill, black; legs and feet^ blackish-green- 



Habitats : The western and northern parts of the coasts of Australia ; the islands of the East 

 Indian Archipelago, and some of the low-lying islands of the Ellice and Kingsmill Groups in the South 

 Pacific. 



