File:The genera of birds (19322170762).jpg

STETvNJNiE.
buoyant, and performed in rapid and sudden evolutions, particularly when dartiug after their food, which consists
almost entirely of various kinds of insects, especially those of the neuropterous order. They occasionally, however,
attack the fry offish and aquatic worms. The nest is generally formed in a tuft of flags or broad grass, just elevated
above the surface of the water ; and sometimes it is placed on the floating leaves of water plants. The eggs are usually
from two to four in number.
1. H. hybrida (Pall.) Zoogr. ii. p. 338. — Sterna leucopareia
Temm. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 424.
2. H. albostriata G. R. Gray, Zool. Ereb. and Terr. Birds, pi. 21.,
Ellis's Icon. ined. (1776) 54.
3. H. nigra (Linn.) PI. enl. 333. — Sterna leucoptera Temm. ;
S. fissipes Pall.; S. nsevia Linn. PI. enl. 924.; Rallus lariformis
Linn. ? Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 422.
4. H. plumbea (Wils.) Amer. Orn. pi. 60. f. 3. — Sterna nigra i
Linn. ; S. obscura Lath.
5. H. fissipes (Linn.) Pi. enl. 924. — Sterna nsevia et S. nigra
Briss.
6. H . yrisca (Horsf.) Linn. Trans. xiii. p. 199-
7. H. mclanoyaster (Temm.) PI. enl. 434. — Sterna acuticauda
Gray, 111. Ind. Zool. pi. 70. f. 3.
8. n.fiuviatilis Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1842. p. 140.
9. H. similis (Gray), 111. Ind. Zool. pi. 70. f. 2.
10. H. javanica (Horsf.) Linn. Trans, xiii. p. 198., Gray, 111.
Ind. Zool. pi. 70. f. 1 .
11. ? H. indica (Steph.) Gen. Zool. xiii. 1 69-
Ph^etusa Wagl*
Bill Large, strong, longer than the head, with the culmen and lateral margins curved to the tip, which
is acute ; the gonys less than the length of the lower mandible, straight and angulated ; the nostrils
lateral, ovate, placed towards the middle of the bill. Wings long, with the first quill the longest. Tail
rather short, and strongly emarginated. Tarsi nearly as long as the outer toe. Toes short, the two
outer ones nearly equal and longest, the inner one very short, and all united by an indented web ; the
hind toe long and slender ; the claws long, curved, and rather depressed.
The species are found on the coasts of the tropical parts of America and Africa.
1. P. maynirostris (Licht.) Wagl. Cat. Dupl. Berl. Mus. p. 81., 2. P. ? yalericulata (Licht.) Cat. Dupl. Berl. Mus. p. 81.
Spix, Av. Bras. t. 104., Azara No. 413, 414. — Sterna brevirostra I 3. P. (?) melanotis Swains. B. of W. Afr. ii. p. 252.
Vieill.
Gygis Wagl.f
Bill longer than the head, with the culmen and lateral margins nearly straight to the tip, which is acute ;
the gonys two thirds the length of the lower mandible, and angulated ; the nostrils lateral, placed near
the base, and longitudinal. Wings long, with the first quill the longest. Tail long, and strongly
emarginated. Tarsi very short and strong. Toes long, the two outer nearly equal, and longer than
the inner one, and all united by a strongly indented web ; the hind toe very long and slender ; the
claws moderate and much curved.
This type is found in the neighbourhood of various islands of the South Seas.
G. Candida (Forst.) Wagl. Desc. Anim. p. 179- — Sterna alba j ined. 33., Ellis's Icon. ined. 56.
Span: Mus. Carls, i. t. 11., Portlock's Voy. pi. p. 312., Banks, Icon. I

• Established by Wagler in 1832 (Isis, p. 1224.). Thalassites of Mr. Swainson (1837) is coequal,