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Show 1876.] MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE STERNIN.E. 669 with the smaller species, of which, moreover, I have never seen a specimen except from the Marquesas; and I have therefore been compelled to give a name to it. The larger species is also found at the Marquesas. The nesting of Gygis is peculiar, the single egg of clay-white mottled with brown being placed on the cavity of the branch of a tree, or in a fork of two branches, and on the points of the coral reefs-anywhere, in fact, where it will lie. In these habits Gygis shows another affinity with Anous, of which it seems to be a highly specialized offshoot. " Sterna nivea " of F. D. Bennett (Whaling Voy. i. p. 370, 1840), from the Caroline Islands, might he either of these species ; and I can find no description of " Gygis napoleonis," Bp. Genus ANOUS, Leach. A N O U S STOLIDUS, Linn. Sterna stolida, Linn. Svst. Nat. i. p. 227 (1766); id. Amcen. Acad. iv. p. 240; Gmelin, S. N . i. 2, p. 605 (1788). Sterna fuscata, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 228 (1766), ex Brisson, vi. p. 220, t. 20. fig. 1 ; Gmel. S. N. p. 605 (1788), juv. Sterna pileata, Scop. Del. Faun, et Flor. Insubr. i. p. 92.no. 73, ex Sonn. Voy. p. 125, pl. 85 (1786). Sterna senex, Leach, in Tuckey's Exped. to the Congo, App. p. 408 (1818), obtained by Cranch. ^ Anous niger, Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii. i. p. 140, pl. 17 (1825)-type of Anous, Leach (adult). Anous fuscatus, Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii. i. p. 140 (1825), juv. Anous spadicea, Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiii. i. p. 143 (1825), juv. Megalopterus stolidus, Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 980. Sterna unicolor, Nordm. in Erm. Verz. v. Thier. & Pfl. p. 17 (1835). Anous stolidus, Gray, List Gen. Birds, p. 100(1841): Blvth, Cat. B. A. S. Bengal, p. 2*93 ; Gould, B. Australia, vii. pl. 33 (1848); Cassin, U.S. Expl. Exp. p. 391 (1858); Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centralpolyn. p. 234 (1867), Vog. Ost-Afrika's, p. 835 (1870); Scl. & Salv. P.Z.S. 1871, p. 566 (Neotrop. Laridse); Coues, B. N.W. Am. p. 710 (1874). Anous rousseaui, Hartl. Beitr. Orn. Madagasc. p. 86 (I860). This well-known species, a straggler to the British seas, ranges from the Gulf-coast of North America to the shores of Australia, throughout Polynesia, and occurs, in fact, in all tropical waters. There appears to be no constant difference between individuals from the most distant localities; and this similarity applies to its habits and breeding, its single egg being deposited on a nest of sea-weed placed on mangrove bushes, in the fork of a tree, or even on the bare rock. In the British Museum there is a specimen from Dalrymple Rock, Chatham Island, one of the Galapagos group, which is of a uniform sooty brown. It is evidently an immature bird ; and I am therefore PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1876, No. XLIV. 44 |
