Oedee GAVIiE.] 
[Fait. STERNIDtE. 
STEENA EEONTALIS 
(WHITE-FRONTED TERN.) 
Sterna frontalis. Gray, Voy. Ereb. and lerr., Birds, p. 19 (1844). 
Sterna alhifrons, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exped., Birds, p. 279 (1848). 
Sterna atripes, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7473. 
Sterna longipennis, Finsch, J. f. 0. 1867, p. 339. 
Native name— Tara ; “ Sea-Swallow ” of the colonists. 
Ad. piil. mtiv. supr^ albicanti-cinereus, remigibus cano lavatis, primarii primi pogonio externo uigro, peimis minori- 
bus ad apicem late albis, reliquis intus versus apiceni albis : caud^ alba: capite et nucha mgris, fronte et 
facie laterali albis: subtusalbus: rostro nigro, ad basin brunnescente : pedibus rufescentbbrunneis : iride 
nigra. 
Ad. piil. heim. similis ptilosi a;stiv^, sed fronte alU latiore et vertice plus minusve albo vario. 
Juv. capite cineraseenti-nigro, albido vario: supr^ dilute cinereus, obseure nigricante fasciatus et notatus: teetrici- 
bus alarum minimis nigricantibus. 
Ad^llt in summer. Crown of tbe bead and nape blaek ; a band immediately over tbe bill, tbe lores, and cbeeks 
pure white j back and upper surface of wings pale ashy grey; tbe rest of the plumage pure white; the breast 
and sides of the body often suffused with a delieate rosy tint, which fades after death. Irides and hil black ; 
legs and feet reddish brown. Length 16 inehes; extent of wings 33 ; wing, from flexure, 11 ; tail 7 (the 
middle feather 3 inches shorter) ; bill, along the ridge 1-6, along the edge of lower mandible 2-2o ; bare tibia 
•4; tarsus '6 ; middle toe and claw IT. 
AiuU in ,ointer. DifFe.^ in haring the white frontal hand n.ore extended, and the black crown more or leaa 
varied or spotted with white. 
Young Forehead, erown of the head, and nape greyish black, obscurely spotted or mottled with white ; the whole 
of the back, the feathers eomposing the mantle, and some of the larger wing-coverts dark silvery grey, 
variedwith white, and handsomely mottled and barred with dusky or greyish black; the smaller wing- 
coverts uniform greyish black, except along the edge of the wing, where they become white; underparts 
silky white, as in the adult. The barred character is most conspicuous on the scapulars and long inner 
secondaries ; and both these and the tail-feathers have creseent-shaped markings near the tips. 
Nestling. Covered with huffy-white down, tinged with fulvous on the head and neck, and mottled with grey on 
the back. 
Fledgling. Feathers of the back and the scapulars greyish white, with broad crescentic marks of black ; wing- 
coverts prettily variegated with black; the down on the back huffy white, mottled and marbled with dark 
grey; wing-feathers (half an inch in length) silvery grey, broadly margined with white. 
Obs. I have noticed in a bird so young that it was unable to fly the same roseate tint mentioned in tbe descrip- 
tion of the adult. 
This elegant species is extremely abundant on our coasts, flocks of flve hundred or more being often met 
