Aden and the Neighbourhood. 
23 
appeared behind the ship when we were about opposite Suakim, 
and from that latitude until we arrived at Aden we were never 
without a few in our company. They were perfectly tame, 
and came so close to the stern of the ' Ancona 3 that thev 
colour on the bill was distinctly visible. All were then in 
full breeding-plumage, with, very distinct hoods. On the 
return voyage in July the Gulls were still in breeding-dress, 
but evidently worn and abraded. While we were laying off 
Aden in quarantine they came round the c Ballaarat 3 in 
numbers, often sailing within a few feet of the side of the 
vessel. Some accompanied us for about a day^s journey up 
the Bed Sea, but they were not met with on our return 
journey so far nortli as in May. Although this Gull has 
been found on the Mekran coast and as far east as Karachi 
by Mr. Hume, we saw none after leaving Aden.—B. B. S.] 
70. Black-backed Gull. (Laras, sp. inc.) 
Common in the cold weather. 
71. Great Black-headed Gull. ( Larus ichthyaetus.) 
Fairly common in the cold weather. 
72. Swift Tern. ( Sterna bergi.) 
This is here all the year round, I believe. 
[About 460 miles nortli of Aden, in the Bed Sea, we came 
across a large flock of these Terns in mid ocean, all busily 
engaged over a shoal of fish. Their cries could be heard a 
long distance off, and there were quite a couple of hundred 
in the flock.—B. B. S.] 
73. Little Tern. (Sterna minuta.) 
Killed at Bundu Manyali, on the Somali coast, on the 
27tli of April, 1884. This species also occurs at Aden. 
There is, I believe, another species of Tern, intermediate 
in size between the above two species. [This will probably 
be Sterna albigena , of which species I saw a pair in the Indian 
Ocean, about 100 miles beyond Aden, on the 18th of July.— 
B. B. S.] 
74. Tropic-bird. (Phaethon indicus , Hume.) 
A cold-weather visitant. 
