LARID.E THE GULLS AND TERNS. 247 



outer feathers into slate. Bill dusky brownish, the base of the mandible paler and more 

 reddish; feet pale yellowish (in the dried skin). Downy young: Not distinguishable with 

 certainty from that of S. paradistea (?). 



Total length, 13. 00-16. (10 (14.50) inches; extent, 29.00-32.00 (31.00); wing, 9.75-11.75 (10.50); 

 tail, 5.00-7.00(6.00); depth of its fork, about 3.50 (average) ; culmen, 1.25-1.50(1.35); depth of 

 bill through base, about .33; tarsus. .66-.S7; middle toe, .75. 



The Common Tern is less numerous in the interior than For- 

 ster's Tern (8. forsteri], but along the Atlantic coast is far 

 more so. A few pairs, however, breed about Lake Koshkonong, 

 in southern Wisconsin, and doubtless also in other parts of the 

 Mississippi Valley, but to what extent is very uncertain, owing 

 to the ease with which the species may be mistaken for Forster's 

 Tern. 



SUBGENUS STERNULA BOIE. 



Sternula BOIE, Isis, 1822, 563. Type, Sterna minuta LINN. 



SUBGEN. CHAK. Smallest of the Terns (wing less than 7.00 inches in the American spe- 

 cies). Tail about half as long as wing, forked for about half its length. Adults pearl-gray 

 above, white or pale pearl-gray beneath; top of head black, with a broad white "lunule" 

 covering forehead and side of crown. 



Sterna antillarum (Less.) 



LEAST TERN. 

 Popular synonyms. Little Striker (coast Virginia); Sandpeter (Dry Tortugas). 



Sterna minuta WILS. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 80, pi. 70, tig. 2 (not of LINN.). AUD. Orn. Biog. iv, 



1838, 175, pi. 319; Synop. 1839. 321; B. Am. vi, 1814, 119, 439. 

 Sterna argentea NUTT. Man. ii, 1834. 280 (not of MAS. 1820). 

 Sternula antillarum LESS. Descr. Mam. et Ois. 1847, 256. 



Sterna antillarum COUES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1865, 552. SOL. & SALV. P. Z. S. 

 1871. 571. SAUNDERS. P. Z. S. 1876. 661. EIDGW. Nom. N. Aru. B. 1881, No. 690; Man. N. 

 Am. B. 1887. 46. B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 309. A. O. U. Check List, 1886, 

 No. 74. 



Sterna superciliaris b. antillarum COUES, B. N. "W. 1874, 692. 

 Sterna superciliaris antillarum COUES, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 801. 

 Sterna frenata GAMB. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1848,128. LAWS, in Baird's.B. N. Am. 1858, 



864. BAIKD, Cat N. Am. B. 1859. No. 694. 



Sterna snperciliaris GUNDL. & CABAN. J. f. O. 1857, 232 (not of VIEILL.). COUBS, Key, 1872, 

 332; Check List, 1873, No. 570. 



HAB. Temperate and tropical North America in general; south to Trinidad. Both 

 coasts of Central America; north to Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota, Dakota, and south- 

 ern California; casually to Labrador. 



SP. CHAR. Smallest of the Terns (wing less than seven inches). Adult, in summer: 

 Pileum and nape deep black, the forehead covered by a broad lunule of white extending 

 back laterally to the eyes, the lores being crossed by a black line or narrow stripe extend- 

 ing from the eye to the lateral base of the maxilla, immediately behind the nostril. Entire 



