Silvery Tern, Sterna argentea, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 280. Least Tern, Sterna minuta, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 175. * Tail graduated. 440. 12. Sterna stolida, Linn. Noddy Tern. 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. 441. 1. Larus Sabini, Sabine. Fork-tailed Gull. Plate CCLXXXV. Fig. 1, Male. Tail of moderate length, forked; bill of moderate length, rather slender, black, with the terminal third yellow; feet black; head and upper part of neck all round blackish-grey, that colour terminated by a collar of pure black; lower neck all round, the whole lower surface, upper tail-coverts, and tail, pure white; back and wings bluish-grey, excepting a large terminal portion of the secondaries, and the tips of the primaries, which are white, the primaries themselves being black, with their shafts brownish-black. _Male_, 13, 33.