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Show *798 MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE LARIDSE. [Nov. 20, species. The example No. 564 is an instance of this, it being a superb old bird, freshly moulted, with all the edges of the feathers perfect, the crown of the head of a pale lavender, and with much smoke-colour on the throat, neck, and breast; the primaries and tail-feathers like satin, and having in some cases not quite attained their full length ; altogether the finest specimen of the common Noddy I ever saw. Both this and the next species are described in Mr. Murray's journal as being very abundant at the Admiralty Islands, hovering in immense numbers over shoals of fish. That the general range of these species is intertropical is tolerably well known ; but it is somewhat surprising to find both this and A. melanogenys at Inaccessible Island, close to Tristan d'Acunha, in 37° S. latitude, on the peculiar domain of the Albatross and the Penguin. The two examples of A. stolidus from there are absolutely identical with specimens from the Tortugas ; and I can find no reason for attributing any of the larger form to other than this species. 9. ANOUS MELANOGENYS, Gray. Anous melanogenys, G. R. Gray, Gen. Birds, iii. p. 661, pl. 182 (1849) ; Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 670. Anous tenuirostris mult, auctorum, nee Temm. [In alcohol. Adult, young in down, and egg. St. Paul's Rocks, Atlantic Ocean. 1 specimen. St. Paul's Rocks, August 27th, 1873. 1 specimen. Inaccessible Island, Tristan d'Acunha, Oct. 16th, 1873. In caves and on trees. No. 484, 2 • Admiralty Islands, March 3rd and 10th, 1875. No. 508, 2 • At sea. March 20th, 1875. Stomach contained small Crustacea. Eyes black.] In the adult specimen from St. Paul's rocks, where tbe breeding-season was far advanced, the feathers are much worn ; and the bird from Inaccessible Island appears to be only a few months old, the portion of the bill in front of the mandibular angle being very short and weak. Under the head of the preceding species I have already remarked upon the noteworthy fact of these two Noddies being found so far south ; and it would be interesting to know if they breed there. The specimens from the Admiralty Islands are adults. 10. LARUS RIDIBUNDUS, L. Larus ridibundus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 225 (1766). [No. 363, o*. Manila, January 11th and 14th, 1875. Eyes brown. 4 specimens, 2 o", 2 $. Yokohama, Japan, M a y 1875. Eyes brown.] The Manila specimen and two of the Japanese are birds of the previous year ; the other two are adults. One of these, a female, is remarkable for its small size, the wing (allowing for a deficient primary) being only 11'5 inches long; still I have seen and possess similar examples of diminutive females from other localities, as well as from Japan and China; and the other parts being in proportion, there is nothing else to distinguish this from the ordinary form. |