Dr. E. Coues on Central-American Laridse. 
387 
bank of mangroves,—the atol having, as it were, a double reef, 
the inner covered with trees, the outer broken here and there 
with a small island. Looking eastward, I noticed a clear light 
in the sky, and calling Sanies attention to it, he said it was the 
reflection of the "white water ” of Lighthouse Reef. This 
appearance arises from the white reflection cast by the breakers 
and the sandy shallows adjoining. On reaching Grassy Cay, 
v Lesser Terns (Sterna antillarum) rose in a cloud as the anchor 
dropped. Our visit was well timed, as above a hundred pairs 
had assembled to lay. Numbers of nests were already occupied, 
each containing one, two, or three eggs; they were simply 
depressions in the sand scratched out by the bird. A few 
y/ " Roseate Terns (Sterna paradisea ) also frequented the island, as 
S well as the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) and a Ring-Plover 
v/ (JEgialitis wilsonianus ), of which I found two nests. On an 
adjoining Cay were old nests of the large White Egret (Herodias 
S egretta); and skulking amongst the mangroves I saw a “ Boat- 
s/ bill” (Cancroma cochlearia ). We also came upon some nests 
of the Ibis in the mangroves, but no eggs. One more day 
took the schooner through the lagoons of Turneff, across the 
channel to English Cay, and so back to Belize, bringing one of 
the pleasantest fortnights I ever enjoyed in Central America to 
an end. A few days more, and I was again bound lor the 
interior; my spoils for Europe. 
XXXII. Notes on certain Central-American Laridse collected by 
Mr. Osbert Salvin and Mr. F. Godman. By Elliott Coues, 
M.A., M.D. 
A collection of Central American Laridce having been kindly 
transmitted to me, at the Smithsonian Institution, for examina¬ 
tion, by my friend Mr. 0. Salvin, I have made the following 
identification of its species * *. 
* The collection transmitted to the Smithsonian Institution, which Dr. 
Coues has been so kind as to name, did not include all the species we 
collected, nor all the specimens. I selected from the whole such a series 
as would enable me to identify with accuracy the remainder; and only 
omitted to send three well-known species, viz. Chroicocephalus atricilla , 
