896 
Birds of Celebes; Laridae. 
e. Hydrochelidon indica (Steph.); (1) Gray, Gen. B. (184(3) lH, 660. 
/'. Hydrochelidon leucopareia (1) Gld., Hb. B. Anstr. 1865, 11, 406; (2j Wald., Tr. Z. S. 
1872, Vm, 103; (3) id., ib. 1875, IX, 244; (4) Meyer, Ibis 1879, 146. 
For further synonymy and references cf. Salvadori 70; Saunders 26. 
Figures and descriptions. Naumann h 7/; Dresser 7F, and the other standard works on 
European birds; Gould d 77; Legge 8; Saunders 2o\ etc. 
Breeding plumage. Top and sides of head nearly down to the level of the under 
eyelid, and nape black; from rictal region and chin to sides of upper neck 
white; general colour of remaining plumage grey, pale on cheeks and upper 
tlu'oat, darkest — blaclcish gi’ey on lower breast and abdomen, velvety pearl-grey on 
primaries and their coverts, the worn tips of the former blackish; under wing-coverts, 
crissum and under tail-coverts white. Wing 243 mm; tail 85; tarsus 22; middle 
toe with claw 31; exposed culmen 31 mm (S. Eiu-ope, Xr. 10958). 
Bill bright blood-red; iris deep hazel or dark brown; eyelid black; feet blood- 
red, lighter than the bill (Naumann h II). 
Old male. The old male in the breeding season has the breast much darker than the female, 
but males in their second year are liable to be mistaken for females several years 
old (Naumann h II). 
Winter plumage. In winter the entire under parts are wMte; forehead white, rest of head 
above and nape streaked with black and white. “Bill (variable) blackish red, dull 
red, almost black in some ; legs and feet likewise varying from dark reddish to dull lake”. 
Eggs. “Moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed towards one end. The texture is very 
fine and close but they have little or no gloss. The ground-colour varies, and is 
sometimes a pale olive stone-coloui’, sometimes an olive -browm, sometimes a bright 
decided green, or a rich or pale blue-green, sometimes a greenish grey, but most 
commonly a pale clear olive-green. The marldngs, which are generally pretty numerous, 
consist of streaks, spots and blotches of deep blackish brown, umber-brown, or reddish 
brown, and of a number of very pale purplish brown clouds, streaks, and spots under- 
lying the primary markings.” Mr. Hume describes some of the more pronounced 
types of marldngs. Size 35 — 42 x 26 — 29 mm (Hume a 4). See, also, Xorth77, 
Xaumann b II, etc.). 
Nest. Of rushes, weeds, grasses, placed on hillocks of mud, or, on heaps of rush, reed or 
other rubbish driven together by the wind, on the leaves of the water-lily or lotos 
(India), the locality chosen being a large swamp or jheel (b 77, a 4). 
Distribution. “South-western, Central, and Southern Europe in summer and to about 55“ N. 
lat. on migration; eastward throughout temperate and warmer Asia to China; south- 
wards by Malayasia to Australia as far as 35“ S. lat., throughout Africa; Barbados 
once” (Saunders 25). — In the East Indies: Philippines — Luzon (Meyer f 3, 
Murray etc. 6, 24,25,26), Samar, Mindanao, Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Calamianes, Tablas, 
Bomblon, Sibuyan, Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Masbate, Cebu, Siquijor (Bourns & 
Worcester 24), Palawan (Whitehead 15, 20, Moseley 25)', Borneo (Diard, 
Schwaner, etc. a 2, 3, 18)', Java (Horsfield c 7, Vorderman 77); Celebes — 
Gorontalo Distr. (Eorsten a 2, Riedel 14), Togian (Meyer f 4, 25), S. Peninsula, 
Tempe (Weber 25); Burn (Bruijn 70); ?Amboina (Platen 70); Salawatti (Bruijn 
70); New Guinea (D ’Albertis 70). 
No naturalist travelling in Celebes has paid close attention to the sea-birds 
of the island, and specimens of such are rather rare in collections. Of the 
Whiskered Tern over a dozen have been recorded from Celebes, from which it 
