38 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
ing and ascending portions of the duodenum. The hepatic, pancreatic and gall ducts enter the 
ascending portion of this intestine, and join as they enter; the intestine being still continued upwards 
behind the liver. The intestinal canal altogether formed, first five parallel convolutions up and down, 
and then a few irregular turnings, until, ending in the rectum, (from each side of which, about } of an 
inch from the anus, a short caecum was sent back, the longest being on the left side,) it terminated ; 
completing, when laid out, a line of 42 inches. The body measured, from the front of the head to the 
tip of the fleshy part of the tail, 1 foot 2 inches ; the canal was thus above three times the length of it. 
“ There was only one ovarium upon the anterior part of the vertebral column, near the porta of 
the liver, containing a number of ova of different sizes. One oviduct extended, in somewhat of a 
serpentine course, from the ovarium along the anterior part of the vertebral column to the vent, 
where it appeared to open externally without joining the rectum. The cavity was sufficient to admit 
the extremity of a small little finger, and the inside presented a reticulated appearance.” 
The red-tailed Tropic Bird of former naturalists is now generally considered to be the adult of the 
common species. I have adopted this general Opinion, although no evidence has proceeded from the 
present voyage to decide the fact. Specimens of both alleged species are in the collection ; those 
with the red tail-feathers being the most numerous. 
Sterna alba. Sparm., Mus. Carls, fasc. 1. #.11. 
White Tern. Lath., Gen. Hist. vol. 10. p. 109. sp. 13. 
This species was found abundantly at Pitcairn’s Island. “ The irides,” we are told by Mr. Lay, 
“ are deep blue. The females lay one egg, (which is whitish, stained with purple, and blotched with 
brown, about the size of a Ring-Dove’s,) in the natural holes of the Mangle Trees, about the spreading 
branches of which they hover in great numbers while rearing their young, making a noise like that 
of the rubbing together of two stones.” They were also observed in company with the Noddy in 
Gambier’s Island. 
Sterna stolida. Linn., Syst. Nat. vol. 1. p. 227. sp. 1. 
Noddy. Penn., Arct. Zool. 2. p. 523. sp. 446. 
La Mouette brune. Buff., PI. Enl. 997. 
This species was observed at various places during the voyage — at Salas Island, Nov. 16th, 1825; 
at Ducie’s Island; at Pitcairn’s Island, Dec. 1825; at Matilda Island, Feb. 4th, 1826; at Bow Island, 
Feb. 20th, 1826, &c. &c., according to Mr. Collie’s notes. 
Sterna Panayensis. Gmel., Syst. Nat. vol. 1. p. 607. sp. 16. 
Panayan Tern. Lath., Gen. Hist. vol. 5. p. 119. sp. 28. 
Some doubts may be entertained as to the species originally decribed by Sonnerat under the 
name of L'hirondelle de Mer de VIsle Panay, (Vol. 3. p. 126. pi. 84 . ) his figure being that apparently of 
a young bird. Our species, which was found at Ducie’s Island, is the same as is generally referred to 
that species. M. Temminck has figured a bird (PI. Col. 202.) very similar to ours, and probably the 
same ; but which he says is different from the true Sterna Panayensis. This latter bird he promises to 
figure ; and thus our doubts will be resolved. Mr. Collie examined one of these birds, and “ found the 
stomach totally void, the gizzard externally undistinguished from the craw, or rather the ventricule 
succenturil being in the same line with it; but internally known by its peculiar horny membrane, 
which was tinged yellow, and by the ruga being constricted at the commencement of it, and turned a 
little out of their regular direction. Two short cceca arose about three-quarters of an inch from the 
anus. No arteries went off from the arch of the aorta, as in the Pelecanus leucocephalus.” 
