AVIFAUNA OF LAYS AN. 37 



17. HALIPLANA LUNATA (Peak). 



GREY WIDEAWAKE ; GREY-BACKED TERN. 



Sterna lunata, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exp., B. p. 277, pi. 74. fig. 1 (1848) (Vincennes I.) j Hartl. AYiegm. Arch. f. 

 Naturg. 1852, p. 1.25 ; id. J. f. O. 185 t, p. 170; Cass. U.S. Expl. Exp., Orn. p. 382 (1858) ; Gray, Cat. 

 B. Trop. Is. p. 59 (1859) ; Schleg. Mus. P.-B., Sterna, p. 27 (18G3) (Halmahera !) j Finsch & Hartl. Orn. 

 Centralpolynes. p. 231 (excellent descr.), pi. xiii. fig. 3 (poor figure) ; Hartl. P. Z. S. 18(57, p. 831 (Pelew 

 Is.) ■ Hartl. & Finsch, P. Z. S. 1808, pp. 4, 9, 118 (Pelew Is.) ; Sel. P. Z. S. 18G9, p. 124 (Salomon Is.) ; 

 Hartl. & Finsch, P. Z. S. 1872, pp. 90, 113 (Pelew Is.); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffr. viii. p. 41 (Vog. 

 Palau Gruppc, 1875); Rosenb. lleist. naar Geelvinkb. p. 9 (1875); Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. GG5 

 (distrib.) ; Layard, Ibis, 1876, p. 393 (Fiji) ; Nehrk. J. f. O. 1879, p. 409 (egg?); Tristr. Ibis, 1880, 

 p. 141 (Salomon Is.) ; Stcjn. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xii. p. 379 (1889) (Kauai) ; Lister, P. Z. S. 1891, 

 p. 296 (Phoenix Is.). 



Haliplana lunata, Coues, Ibis, 18G4, p. 392; Bias. J. f. O. 18GG, p. 80; Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 122 (1871) ; 



( ones, B. N.W. Amer. pp. G98, 703 (note) (1871). 

 Onychoprion lunatus, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. xviii. p. 409 (1882) ; id. Orn. Papuasia, iii. p. 451 (1882) ; 



Wiglesw. Avcs Polynes. in Abh. u. Ber. Mus. Dresd. 1890-91, p. 7G (1892). 



The dark-coloured Terns have been kept generically distinct by many of the most critical 

 ornithologists, but Mr. Saunders (in 1870) united them with Sterna, and until lately, 

 with a few exceptions (Salvadori for example), most of the leading ornithologists have 

 followed him. I am glad to learn that Mr. Saunders has altered his opinion, and is 

 going to keep them distinct in his forthcoming Monograph on the Laridae in the 

 ' Catalogue of Birds,' which, I think, is very wise, especially in such a huge genus as 

 Sterna will be. On the other hand, I regret to learn that Mr. Saunders will not accept 

 for the genus the name Onyclioirrion of Wagler, which was published 915 pages before 

 Haliplana, and which should stand, according to all modern rules of nomenclature, 

 notwithstanding its meaning. I accept the name of Haliplana only because, for the 

 sake of convenience, I like to follow in my writings that great systematic work of our 

 time, the ' Catalogue of Birds/ as far as I can. 



Adult. Forehead and a broad stripe over the eye, entire underparts, and under wing-coverts 

 white. A broad loral stripe running from the base of the upper mandible through the 

 eye, top of head and nape black. Above dark ashy, with a slight brownish tinge, 

 distinctly paler on the hind neck. Outer webs of primaries blackish, inner webs white 

 with a blackish stripe along the shaft, occupying the whole web near the tip, and with a 

 narrow grey fringe on the inner web, except on the basal half ; shafts of primaries brown 

 above and white below. Outer webs of tail-feathers grey, inner webs white, greyish 



