STERNIN^ 
Angus  Leach.* 
Bill  longer  than  the  head,  rather  slender,  with  the  culmen  gradually  curved  to  the  tip,  which  is  acute, 
the  lateral  margin  slightly  curved ; the  gonys  straight,  half  the  length  of  the  lower  mandible,  and 
angulated  ; the  nostrils  lateral,  basal,  placed  near  the  middle  of  the  bill,  and  longitudinal.  Wings 
lengthened  and  pointed,  with  the  first  quill  the  longest.  T %il  long,  with  the  sides  rounded,  or  strongly 
emarginated.  Tarsi  the  length  of  the  inner  toe,  and  slender.  Toes  long,  the  two  outer  equal,  an 
longer  than  the  inner  one,  and  all  three  united  by  a full  web  ; the  hind  toe  long  and  slender  ; the  claw 
also  long  and  slender. 
These  birds  are  inhabitants  of  most  tropical  seas,  even  at  a great  distance  from  any  land.  They  are  usually  s 
following  the  shoals  of  fish  upon  which  they  prey;  while  pursuing  them  the  bird  hovers  near  the  water,  and 
continually  seen  darting  upon  the  fish  as  it  approaches  the  surface.  They  breed  in  flocks,  depositing  their  eggs  on 
bare  shelvings  of  the  rocks. 
1.  A.  stolidus  (Linn.)  Catesby,  Carol,  pi.  88.  — Gavia  fusca 
Briss. ; Anoiis  niger  Steph.  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  p.  421.,  Audub.  B. 
of  Amer.  pi.  275. 
2.  .J*  A.  leucoceps  Swains.  PI.  enl.  997-,  Kittl.  Kupf.  Vogel,  t.  36. 
f.  2. 
3.  A.  senex  (Leach),  Tuck.  Congo  Exped.  p.  408.  — Sterna 
tenuirostris  Temm.  PI.  col.  202.,  Kittl.  Kupf.  Vog.  t.  36.  f.  1. 
4.  A.  pikatus  (Scop.)  Sonn.  Voy.  t.  85.  — Sterna  philippina 
Lath. 
5.  A.  unieokr  (Ertnan.).  Verz.  von  Thier.  und  Pflanz.  p-  i7* 
6.  A.  inca  (Less.)  Voy.  de  la  Coqu.  Zool.  t.  47.,  Griff.  Am 
Kingd.  iii.  pi.  p.  647.  j 
7.  A.  tereticollis  (Lafr.)  Rev.  Zool.  1841.  p.  242.,  Mag.  de  Aoe 
1842.  Ois.  t.  29.  — Anous  cinereus  Gould;  Type  of  Procelsterna 
Lafr.  (1842). 
8.  A.  gracilis  Gould,  Proc.  Z.  S.  184.5.  p. 
9.  } A.fuscatus  (Linn.)  Briss.  Ornith.  vi.  t.  21.  f.  1. 
10.  A.  melanogenys,  G.  R.  Gray. 
* Established  by  Leach,  and  published  by  Mr.  Stephens  in  1825  {General  Zool.  xiii.  140.).  It  is  coequal  with  Noddi  of  Cuvier  ^ 
Megalopterus  of  M.  Boie  (1826),  Stolida  of  M.  Lesson  (1831),  Gavia  of  Mr.  Swainson  (1837),  and  Procelsterna  of  Baron  Latr 
(1842). 
January,  1846. 
