THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
claimed as a character of gracilis may be due to age, many young specimens from America 
having red bills, while in the adult birds it is black. The differences between the two races 
of the Roseate Tern in size and in measurements of the bill are well marked. The Liu Kiu 
Islands specimens agree in measurements with the Australian form : — 
(J Wing 221, Tail to second rectrix 110, Tarsus 20.2, Culmen (exp.) 36.6 
? » 216 „ „ 109 „ 19.4 „ 36.0 
A series of birds from Foochow, procured in July, 1897, “ breeding on an 
island outside the river,” and a bird from the Liu Kiu Islands agree with 
Bangs’s measurements and are all in perfect plumage, the Liu Kiu specimen 
having an almost black bill, the Foochow birds have parti-coloured bills, 
apparently black tips with orange bases. I cannot attach these to gracilis 
from West Australia, as typical gracilis has not a short bill ; the longest 
billed Foochow specimen only measures — culmen (exp.) 37 mm., while the 
fully adult Westralian bird has a culmen measuring 42.5 mm., immature 
birds going over 38 mm. In addition, the bill of the Foochow specimens 
is much stouter than in any other form, so that I propose to separate 
the Foochow and Liu Kiu Island birds as a distinct subspecies, which I 
intend to call 
Sterna dougallii hangsi, subsp. n. ; 
Foochow, China ; and the Liu Kiu Islands. 
Culmen (exp.) 36-37 mm., very stout ; wing 216-222 ; tarsus 22-22.5 (Bangs 
19.4-20.2 ; this must be due to a different way of measuring only) ; tail to 
second outside rectrix about 110 mm. The type is from Foochow, 
China. 
In Stray Feathers^ Vol. II., p. 318, 1874, Hume named the Andaman 
breeding bird Sternula horustes. Long series of this form are available, and 
it is easily recognised by its very short weak bill ; the bill in adults when 
breeding, seems to be as often parti-coloured as blackish. The wing-measure- 
ment averages about 220 mm., while the culmen rarely exceeds 36, and is 
noticeably more slender than in S. d. hangsi. It should be recognised as 
Sterna dougallii Icorustes Hume ; 
Andaman Islands (breeding May and June). 
I have obtained a series collected on Aride Island, Seychelles, on 
February 1st, 1908. These have “ Bill black ; base red ; eyes grey ; feet 
red.” They are in perfect breeding-plumage, and have short and slender 
bills like S. d. horustes, but have shorter wings, while the coloration of the 
upper parts, especially the tail, is noticeably darker. For these I propose 
the name 
Sterna dougallii arideensis, subsp. n.; Seychelles Island (breeding). 
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