Plate CCLXXV. Male.
Bill a little longer than the head, rather slender, a little decurved,
black; tail cuneate; general colour of plumage sooty-brown; primaries
and tail-feathers brownish-black; upper part of head greyish-white; a
black spot anterior to and over the eye.
_Male_, 16-4/12, 32.
Abundant on the Gulf of Mexico during the whole year. Breeds in vast
multitudes on the Tortugas Keys.
Sterna stolida, Bonap. Syn. p. 356.
Noddy, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 285.
Noddy Tern, Sterna stolida, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 516; v.
v. p. 642.
GENUS III. LARUS, Linn. GULL.
Bill shorter than the head, nearly straight, moderately stout,
compressed; upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight to the
middle, then decurved, the ridge convex, the sides rapidly sloping,
the edges sharp and direct, the tip rather obtuse; nasal groove rather
long and narrow; nostrils submedial, longitudinal, linear-oblong,
broader anteriorly; lower mandible, with the angle long and pointed,
the outline of its crura decurved anteriorly, that of the ridge
slightly concave and ascending, the sides erect, the edge-line
decurved toward the tip, which is narrow but obtuse. Head of moderate
size, broadly ovate; neck of ordinary length; body compact. Feet
rather long or of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the
lower part; tarsus moderately compressed, with numerous curved
anterior scutella, and smaller behind; toes slender, of moderate
length, scutellate; first very small, third a little longer than
fourth. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather blunt.
Plumage close, soft, blended, on the back and wings rather compact.
Wings very long, pointed; first and second quills longest; secondaries
broad, the inner more elongated. Tail of moderate length, generally
even, rarely rounded or emarginate, of twelve feathers. In those
which have the head white in summer, it is streaked with dusky in
winter; and those which are hooded in summer, have the head white and
slightly streaked in winter.
* Tail emarginate.