File:A handbook of the birds of Tasmania and its dependencies (1910) (14749627802).jpg

Identifier: handbookofbirdso00litt (find matches)
Title: A handbook of the birds of Tasmania and its dependencies
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Littler, Frank Mervyn
Subjects: Birds -- Australia Tasmania
Publisher: Launceston, Tasmania : F.M. Littler
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ed Tern found in Australian waters is distinctfrom the bird found in the Indian Ocean and elsewhere. Gouldmade two species of them, but Mr. Howard Saunders, the eminentauthority on sea-birds, recognizes but one species. Although the Crested or Bass Strait Tern is to be observed insome numbers round the northern coast of Tasmania, yet it isnot nearly as plentiful as round the southern coast, where ifcnests in fairly large colonies on some of the small islands, notablythe Acteons. On several occasions, especially during rough weather, I haveseen this species fishing in company with Gannets in shelteredbays on the North-Eastern Coast of Tasmania. Occasionalh a fewmay be seen about the mouth of the Tamar, but not as frequentlyas the Caspian Tern. *WHITE-FEONTED TERN (Southern Tern) (Sterna frontalis, Gray). Male and Fe7nale (breeding plumage).—Lower forehead and lores white; crown of the head and nape black; upper surface very pale grej; under surface white, flushed with a delicate pink
Text Appearing After Image:
BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 149 when alive; bill black; legs and feet rcddisL-brovvii. JJimensiousin mm. :—Length, 420; bill, 55; wing, 284; tail, 180; tarsus, 20. Male and Female (luiyitcr plumage).—Similar to summer plum-age save that there is more white on the forehead and the crown ismottled with the same colour. Young.—Forehead, crown, and nape greyish-black, mottledwith white; practically the whole of the upper surface bulfy-whiteto grey, mottled with greyish-black; under surface white. Nestling.— Covered with bulfy-white down, tinged withfulvous on the head and neck and mottled \\ith grey on the back (Buller). Nest.—A slight depression on the ground among the herbagegrowing near the sea-shore. Breeds in colonies. Eggs.—Clutch two usually; inclined to oval in shape; texturefine; surface faintly glossy; colour stone-grey, boldly blotched andspotted with umber and dull grey. Dimensions in mm. of aclutch :—(1) 46 x 32, (2) 45 x 31. Breeding Season.—November and December. Geo

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