Oedee GAVIJ3.] 
[Fam. STERNID^. 
STEENA CASPIA. 
(CASPIAN TERN.) 
Sterna tschegram, Lepechin, N. Comm. Petrop. xiv. p. 500 (1769). 
Sterna caspia, Pallas, N. Comm. Petrop. xiv. p. 582 (1769). 
Sterna megarhipichos, Meyer and Wolf, Taschenb. deutsch. Vogelk. ii. p. 4.57 (1810). 
Thalasseus casinus, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563. 
Ilydroprogne caspia, Kaiip, Natiirl. Syst. p. 91 (1829). 
Syloclielidon halthica, Brehm, Vdg. Deutscbl. p. 769 (1831). 
Sterna scMllingii, Brehm, tom. cit. p. 770 (1831). 
Syloclielidon casjna, Brehm, tom. cit. p. 770 (1831). 
Helopus caspius, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1224. 
Thalassites melanotis, Swains. B. of W. Afr. ii. p. 253 (1837). 
Syloclielidon strenuus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1846, p. 21. 
Syloclielidon melanotis, Bonap. C. Ii. xlii. p. 772 (1856). 
Sterna melanotis, Hartl. Orn. Westafr. p. 254 (1857). 
Sterna vulgaris, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7472. 
Thalasseus imperator. Cones, Pr. Phil. Acad. 1862, p. 538. 
Native name. — Tara-nui. 
Ad> ptil. astiv. supra dilute cinereus, uropygio et supracaudalibus albis : cauda albA : tectricibus alarum dorso 
concoloribus : remigibus extus caueseentibus, primariis versus apicem saturatioribus, scapis albis, pennis 
miuoribus et secundai’iis dorsalibus pallide cinereis : pdeo et nucha cristata uigris : facie laterali a narium 
basi ducta cum collo laterali et corpore subtus toto albis : rostro Ijete eorallino, flavo vario, versus apicem 
brunnescente, apice ipsa cornea : pedibus nigricanti-brunneis ; iride nigra. 
Ad. ptil. hum. similis ptilosi sestivse, sed pileo albo minute nigro striolato. 
Adult in summer. Forehead and upper part of the head, described by a line from the posterior edge of the nasal 
groove, on each side, passing immediately under the eyes, and meeting in an acuminate point below the 
occiput, satiny black ; back, rump, and upper surface of wings and tail delicate silvery grey ; primaries 
darker grey, with white shafts ; the rest of the plumage pearly white. Irides black ; bill beautiful coral-red, 
mixed with yellow, and shaded with brown near the tips of both mandibles, which are horn-coloured ; legs 
and feet blackish brown. Length 22 inches; extent of wings 53; wing, from flexure, 16'35 ; tail 6 '25 
(middle feather 1'5 shorter) ; bill, along the ridge 3‘6, along the edge of lower mandible 3‘6 ; bare tibia ‘5 ; 
tarsus 1’75 ; middle toe and claw 1’5. 
Adult in winter. Differs in having the black plumage of the head largely spotted with white, especially on the 
forehead and lores. 
Obs. At the breeding-season this bird has the plumage suffused with an extremely delicate roseate hue, which 
fades away after life is extinct, but does not wholly disappear from the preserved skin. 
Young. Has the vertex and crown similar to the adult in winter, but the white preponderating, and the coronal 
cap extending halfway down the cheeks ; the primaries are sooty grey, and the wing-coverts greyish brown 
with paler edges. Bill reddish brown. 
VOL. II. 
L 
