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Show 1876.] MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE STERNINA. 643 Scl. & Salvin, P.Z. S. 1871, p. 573; Coues, Proc. Phil. Acad. (1862), p. 554 ; G. R. Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 121 (1871). Hydrochelidon plumbea, Lawr. B. N. Am. p. 864 (1858); et al. auct. A m. Pelodes surinamensis, Gray, Hand-list, iii. p. 122 (1871). Hydrochelidon lariformis, Coues, B. N.W. A m . p. 704 (1874). " Sterna casia, Linn." Gundlach, J. f. Orn. 1875, p. 393, (? error for S. navia). Sterna nigra of Linnaeus (Syst. Nat. p. 227, 1766) is based upon his Sterna 159 of the ** Fauna Suecica' ed. 1761, in which he accurately describes the Black Tern, adding that " it is found on the small reedy islands about Upsala." This can only refer to the present species, as the White-winged Black Tern is one of the rarest of stragglers to any part of Sweden. Linnaeus'also refers to Albin's plate and description, Av. ii. p. 82, pis. 89 & 90, which are unmistakable. There is therefore no warranty whatever for identifying his S. nigra with the south-eastern species. I have gone carefully into the question; and any one who is willing to take the trouble of examining the matter for himself will, I have no doubt, share my opinion. In almost all the adult American specimens which I have examined, about a dozen in number, the black of the underparts is of a deeper and more sooty brown tint than in any European examples out of upwards of a hundred from various localities, the black being as dark as in H. leucoptera, an intensity of hue which our form never possesses. In two or three examples, however, all females, the lightest-coloured American birds approach more closely to very dark specimens from Europe ; and in the young and winter plumage the two forms are absolutely undistinguishable; so that any specific separation is out of the question. This species is found throughout Europe, Palestine, and N. Africa to the Nile; to S. Africa it appears to go only as a winter and somewhat rare visitant, as I only know of one example, obtained 4th Jan. 1871 at the Cameroons (the birds collected by Mr. Ayres and others being H. leucoptera in immature plumage) ; nor do I know of its occurrence in India. In America it ranges throughout and across the northern continent, visiting the West Indies and Spanish main on the one side, and going as far south as Peru and Chili on the Pacific coast in winter. Genus STERNA, Linn. (part). S T E R N A M A G N I R O S T R I S , Licht. Sterna magnirostris, Licht. Verzeichniss Doubl. p. 81 (1823) (type in Berlin Mus. ; examined, H. S.) ; Max. v. Wied, Beit. iv. p. 861 (1833); Tschudi, F. Per. Aves, p. 305 (1846); Schlegel, Mus. P.-Bas, Sterna, p. 12 (1863). ''Sterna speculifera, Temm.," Lesson, T. d'Orn. p. 622 (1831) ; Pucheran, Rev. Zool. 1850, p. 544. "Sterna albifrons, Cuv.," Lesson, Tr. d'Orn. p. 622(1831) (sp. in Paris Mus. examined, //. Si). |