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Show 272 MR. R. B. S H A R P E O N BIRDS [Feb. 19, Howard Saunders's paper on the Sterninse in the ' Proceedings of this Society for 1876; and it is solely through want of material that he was unable to discriminate the two Grey Noddies of the Pacific, as I am able to do from the receipt of the present specimens. Two examples are in the collection now sent; and I saw at once that they belonged to a different species from the bird marked as A. cceruleus in the national collection. The following is a description of one of these specimens :- Supra cinereus, alis cauddque quam dorsum vix saturatioribus : primaries duobus externis extus magis nigricantibus: pileo col-toque undique purius canis, fronte et facie antica albicantibus maculd parvd anteoculari nigrd : corpore reliquo subtus cinereo, subalaribus externis et margine alari canescentibus : rostro nigro. Long, tota 9*3, rostri a fronte 0*95, alae 6*6, caudae 2*75, rectricis penultimae 3*85, tarsi 0*9. It appears that this small species is unquestionably the true Sterna ceerulea of Bennett, and that Mr. Gould was perfectly right when he separated the North-Australian bird as Anous cinereus, and that he was wrong in sinking this name, published in 1845, in favour of Neboux's, which was not published until 1846. The following appears to be the true synonymy of the two species. ANOUS CARULEUS. Sterna ceerulea, F. D. Bennett, Narr. of a Whaling Voyage, ii. App. p. 248(1840). Sterna cendre, Neboux, Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 291. Sterna tereticollis, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1841, p. 242. Procelsterna tereticollis, Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1842, pl. 29. Anous parvulus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1845, p. 104 ; Cassin, U.S. Expl. Exp. Birds, p. 393 (1858) ; Gray, Cat. B. Pacific Isl. p. 60 (1859). Anous gracilis, Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 661 (1846, lapsu). Stolida cinerea, Neboux, Voy. Venus, Atlas, pl. 9 (1846, nee Gould). Megalopterus plumbeus, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exp. p. 285 (1848). Anous cinereus, Prevost et Des Murs, Voy. Venus, v. p. 276 (1855); Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Central-Polyn. p. 239, taf. xiii. fig. 4,taf.iv. figs. 4 & 5 (1867). Procelsterna cinerea, Bp. C. R. xiii. p. 773 (1856). Anous cinerea, Gray, Hand-1. iii. p. 123. no. 11088 (1871). Diagn.: Minor, schistaceo-cinereus, pileo et corpore subtus toto pallidius cinereis ; secundariis externis angustissime ad apicem albo limbatis ; subalaribus schistaceo-cinereis. Hab. in insulis orientalibus maris Pacifici. ANOUS CINEREUS. Pelecanopus pelecanoides, Gray, List of Anseres, p. 180 (1844). Anous cinereus, Gould, P. Z.S. 1845, p. 104 ; id. B. Austr. fol. pl. 46 (1848): Reichenb. Vog. Neuholl. p. 181. no. 536 (1850). |