STERNA DOUGALLL 
(THE ROSEATE TERN.) 
Sterna dougalli , Mont. Orn. Diet. Suppl. (1813); Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 418 (1832); Legge, 
Str. Feath. 1875, p. 376, et 1876, p. 246; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 652; Dresser, 
B. of Eur. pt. 54 (1876); Hume, Str. Feath. 1878 (B. of Tenass.), p. 492, et 1879 
(List Ind. B.), p. 116. 
Sterna paradisea, Keys. & Bias. Wirbelth. Eur. p. 97 (1840); Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. 
p. 292 (1849); Jerdon, B. of Ind. iii. p. 840 (1864). 
Sterna gracilis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1847, p. 222; id. B. of Austr. vii. pi. 27 (1848) ; Holdsw. 
P. Z. S. 1872, p. 481 (first record from Ceylon); Hume, Str. Feath. 1874, p. 317. 
Sternula Icorustes, Hume, Str. Feath. 1874, p. 318. 
Sterne de Dougall, French ; Paradies-Meer-Schwalbe, German ; Graceful Tern, Gould. 
Adult male (Ceylon, June). Length 14-6 to 15-8 inches ; wing 8'4 to TO, expanse 25’0 to 26-8 ; tail 6 - 5 to 7'7, depth 
of fork 4-0 to 4-5, lateral feathers in finest specimen 2-65 longer than the adjacent ; tarsus 08 to 0-92 ; middle toe 
0-7 to 075, claw (straight) 024, inner edge pectinated slightly; bill at front 1-23 to 1-4, to gape 1'8 to 1-95. 
The lateral tail-feathers are very much attenuated in this species, extending in fine specimens 2-5 inches beyond the 
closed wing. 
(18th June.) Iris brown; bill orange on the basal half, remainder of upper mandible blackish, of lower paler or 
brownish ; legs and feet coral-red ; claws red, tips dusky. 
(30th June.) Rill jet-black throughout, claws the same. 
American examples shot in July, in Mr. Dresser’s collection, and a Port-Blair specimen (20th May) have the bill black, 
except round the base, -where it is yellow. A September specimen (Elizabeth Island) has it entirely black. 
Forehead, with the upper half of the lores, crown, nape, and upper part of hind neck glossy black, the boundary-line 
passing from the nostril along by the under edge of the eyelid (which, however, is white) and over the ear-coverts 
to the nape ; hind neck just beneath the termination of the crest white, changing imperceptibly into the delicate 
pearly grey of the back, wings, rump, and tail, which latter fades again into white on the lateral feathers ; prima- 
ries dark grey, thickly “ frosted ” with white on all the outer webs but that of the 1st, the inner portions of the 
inner webs white, continued as a broad edge to the tips ; tips of the secondaries white ; primary-shafts white to 
the tips ; underparts .suffused with delicate rosy white, tinged with pale grey on the flanks ; axillaries pure white, 
but the under wing tinged with rose-colour. In examples not so far advanced towards breeding-plumage this 
rosy colour is not so pronounced, showing that it increases until the bill is at its blackest, and the individual has 
assumed its perfect nuptial attire. 
Winter plumage. Bill red, tipped with black more or less ; underparts white ; the forehead, lores, and front of crown 
white ; occiput and nape with the centre of the feathers black and the margins white. 
Young , about three months old. Wing 8 § 2 inches ; tail 4-2 ; bill to gape 2-6. 
Bill black ; legs and feet brown. 
Head above mouse-colour, darkening on the nape, and spotted on the crown with black ; a spot in front of the eye and 
a patch behind it black ; cheeks just beneath the eye striped with black ; hind neck and interseapulary region finely 
stippled with brown and buff ; uppermost scapulars more coarsely marked with the same ; longer scapulars and 
tertials grey, passing into buff at the tips, and marked with blackish-brown centres and broad stripes running 
round inside the edge of the feathers ; lesser wing-coverts blackish grey, tipped with white ; remainder pale blue- 
grey ; the greater coverts and the secondaries tipped white, the latter very broadly, the adjacent colour being 
blue-grey, passing into white at the base and on the outer web ; quills as in the adult, with broader white tips ; 
all but the outer tail-feathers with dark markings near the tips. 
Obs. Measurements of birds from other parts of the world are: — (Massachusetts, Mus. Dresser) wing 9T to 02 inches; 
tail 7’8 to 8 - 5, outer feathers 4-8 to 5-6 longer than the central pair ; tarsus 07 ; middle toe 07 ; bill to gape 2-0, 
at front D5 ; (Port Blair, Mus. Dresser) wing 8'4 ; tail 6-0 ; tarsus 07 : (Andamans, Hume) wing 8-5 ; tail nearly 
7'0, extending an inch (only) beyond the closed wing ; tarsus 0-75 ; bill 1'45 at front. 
