I.
CASPIAN T .
D escription.
Place and
M anners.
Sterna Cafpia, N. C • Pet*» xlv. p. 5S2. N0-5. t.222. lig. 2. (P. S. Pallas.)
Sterna tfchegrava, N. C. Petr. xiv. p. 500. 2. t. 13. 2. (J. Lepechin.)
Cafpian Tern, Ar£i. Zool. p. 526. 6«
T E N G T H one foot ten inches and a half: breadth three
feet two inches. Bill crimfon : irides of a dull colour:
forehead, crown, hind head, and round the eyes, deep black,
here and there dotted with white ; and a fmall whitilh crefcent
on the lower eye-lid : the hind part of the neck, and all the
upper parts of the body, are hoary : fides of the neck, the fore
parts, and all beneath the body, the rump, and tail, white as
flow j the laft forked : the firft fix quills are deep alh-colour,
the margins and tips blackilh; the others in colour like the
back : legs black. In that defcribed by Pallas the baftard wing
was marked with fagittal black fpots; and die legs reddilh
brown.
This is very frequent in the Cafpian Sea, and neighbouring parts,
about the mouth of the Jaick ; wandering at times up the great
river 01, even towards the Frozen Ocean. Fifhes both in the fea
and rivers, much in the fame manner as the black-headed Gull..
At times feen fufpended in the air, and then all at once darting
into the water after a fijh ; at other times fkimming the furface,
like a Swallow. Mixes wirhthe Gulls on the rocks. Lays two
pretty large eggs, fpotted with brown. Its note is like a perfon
laughing. The Ruffians call it Tfchegrava.
Sr. Muf.
° ftout, three inches and a half long, and of a deep red: the top
of the head, and fides, taking in the eyes, are black fpotted with
white : the reft of the head, neck, and under parts, white : back
hoary: quills pale grey, with white lhafts: on the fcapulars a
few dulky fpots : tail lhort, and forked 5 crofted with a few
dufky bars near the end; the wings exceed it in length by three
inches and a half: legs black.
Inhabits Bombay. Called by the Indians, Taila.
Br. Muf.
1~' E N G T I I nineteen or twenty inches. Bill three inches;
ftout, and of a pale yellow: noftrils pervious: the crown of
the head black; the feathers longifh, and forming a kind of
penfile creff at the nape; the reft of the head, neck, and under
parts of the body, white: back and wings pale cinereous grey :
quills grey, with the ends dulky; the inner websy half way from
the bafe, white : tail grey, forked; the end half of the outer feather
white: the lhafts of quills and tail white; the laft is exceeded
by the firft by an inch: legs-black.
Suppofed to inhabit China. We have alfo feen the fame, or
one greatly refembling, from the Friendly 1/les in the'South. Seas.
Is alfo found at Hapaee, one of the Sandwich Ifles.
1.
Var. A.
Description.
Peace.
i.
V ar. B.
Description.
Peace-.
U