556 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 
is in all probability identical with fuliginosa , and is at all events strictly con- 
generic with it. This being the case, perhaps Onychoprion ought to be employed 
for the genus ; as it is instituted several pages in advance of Haliplana. but, as 
the conflicting names are by the same author, and bear the same date, I have 
preferred to adopt Haliplana , which, besides being based upon the old and well- 
known type fuliginosa, has the merit of being much more euphonious. 
Haliplana fuliginosa Wagl. ex Gm. 
Sterna fuliginosa, Gml. S. N., 1788, i. 605, et auct. 
Haliplana fuliginosa , Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 1224. 
Onychoprion fuliginosa, Gould, Introd. B. aust., 1848, 113. 
Sterna serrata, Forster, Descrip. Anim. 1844, 276. Adult. 
Onychoprion serrata, Wagler, Isis, 1832, p. 277. 
Stei'na oahuensis , Bloxham, Yoy. Blonde, 1826, p. 251. Fide Cass. 
Sterna guttata, Forster, Descript. Anim. 1844, p. 211. Juv. 
Anous Vherminieri, Lesson, Descr. de Mammiferes et d’oiseaux, &c., 1847, p. 255. 
Juv. 
Diag. — H. bicolor, corpore supra, rostro, pedibus, remigibusque nigris ; cor- 
pore subtus, fronte et rectrici laterali nisi apicem versus, albis. — ( Adultus ). 
Minor; rostre graciliore ; cauda minus forficata ; corpore toto brunnescente- 
nigro, subtus dilutiore, abdomine tectricibusque caudalibus inferioribus griseo- 
albis ; tectricibus alarum late albo-terminatis. — ( Juvenis ). 
The plumage of the young of the year of this species differs so remarkably 
from that of the adult, that I have above contrasted the diagnoses of the two 
ages. While the plumage of the adult is well known, a description of that of 
the young may not be here out of place. 
{Young of the year.) — The bill is much smaller and weaker than that of the 
adult ; its upper mandible black; its lower, together with {he eyes and feet, are 
dusky red. The whole body is a uniform brownish or fuliginous black, — this 
color deepening on the primaries, growing lighter on the under parts, until on 
the abdomen and under tail coverts it is dull- grayish white. The wing coverts 
and scapulars are all broadly tipped with white, giving a very marked spotted 
appearance to the parts. The feathers of the back, rump and upper tail coverts 
are narrowly margined witl dull rufous, which gives a transversely waved 
appearance to the parts. The tail is uniformly of much the color of the wings : 
all the feathers at their extreme tips fading into light brown. 
The above description is taken from a bird in the collection of the U. S. 
Exploring Expedition, under Captain Wilkes, U. S, N., taken at Hendin Island. 
It is labelled “ S. fuliginosa, Gm. juv.,” by Mr. Cassin. I have carefully com- 
pared the series of adults in the same collection, and cannot find thafthey 
differ in the least from specimens from the West Indies and Southern States. 
Upon the above-described state of plumage of Haliplana fuliginosa is based, 
I t^ke it, the Anous Vherminieri of Lesson. (“ Descriptions de Mammiferes et 
d’oiseaux recemment decouverts,” 1847, page 255.) A condensed translation 
of this author’s description is as follows : “ Length 24 cent. Bill black above, 
red on the lower mandible ; tarsi red. Plumage uniform dusky black beneath, 
the lower belly and under tail coverts white, washed with gray; above black- 
ish brown, dark and uniform on the head and neck, enammelled with trans- 
verse white spots on the greater wing coverts, and rayed with rufous on the 
back, rump and wing coverts.” It will be seen that this description corresponds 
in the minutest particulars, which render it but little if at all doubtful, what 
bird he had under consideration. His specimens came from the Antilles near 
the Guadaloupe. 
I have also quoted, as a synonym of the young, S. guttata of Forster. This 
author (loco citato) says : “S. cauda forficata corpore fuliginoso, dorso tec- 
t,ricibusque albo’maculatis, pedibus nigris,” — and a part of his further descrip- 
tion is : “ Corpus magnitudine circiter Sternse hirundinis.” . . . “Corpus 
