Black-fronted tern in the north

The evidence comes from (a) the works of Sir Walter Buller; (b) six skins in the Auckland Museum; (c) recent observations. 2. Records for the west coast of Auckland and the Bay of Plenty near Whakatane go back into the nineteenth century. 3. The earliest date is March 10 and the latest November 17. 4. The majority of birds are juveniles, some of which may summer north of the breeding grounds. 5. There is evidence that black-fronted terns used to nest in the North Island; and there may still be isolated pairs or small colonies breeding in suitable country. 6. The suggestion is made that the black-fronted tern is a subspecies of the whiskered tern (C. hybrida).