GENUS GELOCHELIDON (Brehm). 



ATYPICAL example of this genus is found in the Gull-billed Tern of the British Islands. It is 

 also common in North America. 



GELOCHELIDON M A C R ( ) T A R S A (Gould). 



LONG - LEGGED TERN. Genus : Gelouhelidox. 



EITHER the true habitat of this species has not yet been visited by an ornithologist, or the bird is 

 very rare. 



Although nearly allied to the Gelochelidon Anglica (Gull-billed Tern) of Europe, the Australian 

 bird has distinctive features from the representative of the genus in the northern hemisphere, the 

 principal of which are its greater size of body, longer and larger legs, and the delicacy of the colouring 

 of the back and wings. 



Until the year L837, this species, according to Gould, was entirely new to science. In that 

 year he published a full description of the bird, but during the following twenty-eight years he saw but 

 two other examples, one of which was obtained from Southern Queensland ; the other was procured on the 

 Victoria River, in North-west Australia. 



The vast extent of coast line from the western shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Fitzroy 

 River in Western Australia is still comparatively unexplored by the ornithologist, and it is probable that 

 with the rapid progress of settlement in those regions, additional light will be thrown upon the obscurity 

 which at present surrounds this great Tern by one or more of the breeding places being discovered 

 and the habits of the species observed by the collector. 



Crown of the head and back of the neck, a deep black ; all the upper surfaces, a bright 

 silvery grey ; the tail feathers, washed with light brown ; sides of the head, neck and chest, white ; 

 all the rest of the under surface, grey-white ; bill and feet, a dull black. 



The total length of the two specimens obtained by Gould averaged 17 inches ; bill. 2^ inches ; 

 wing, L3| inches; tail, (5 inches; tarsi, lj inch. 



Habitat : The north-western coast of Australia. 



GENUS SYLOC H ELI DON (Brehm). 



TBTHIS is the largest and most powerful member of the family SternideB; only a single specimen is 

 found in Australia. It is common to various parts of India, and also occurs in the south of 

 Europe. 



