THE SOOTY TERN. 



625 



THE GULL-BILLED TERN (Sterna anglica), sometimes called Marsh Tern, inhabits the 

 Eastern States, though not abundantly, and is also common to Europe. Its length is thirteen 

 to fifteen inches. 



THE CASPIAN TERN is much the largest of the tribe. It is known to both continents ; 

 reaches our Middle States in winter. It is twenty inches in length. 



CASPIAN ISSS.-Stema caspla. 



THE ROYAL TERN is common along the Atlantic coast, and quite abundant southward. 



THE COMMON TERN (Sterna Mrundo) is the most common species. It is quite small, 

 and swallow- like. It is common to both continents in the north, excepting on the Pacific side. 



THE ARCTIC TERN (Sterna macrura) inhabits nearly the whole of Arctic and temperate 

 portions of both hemispheres, and southward to the Middle States, in America. It breeds 

 from Massachusetts northward. It is an extremely graceful bird, and readily attracts the 

 attention of the observer, for its beauty and peculiar buoyancy. It breeds in great numbers 

 in American harbor, Nova Scotia. 



THE ROSEATE TERN (Sterna dougalli) is a beautiful bird. It is equally common in both 

 continents. In America it ranges from Massachusetts to Florida, and to the West Indies, 

 breeding in the latter countries. 



THE PORTLAND TERN was discovered in Portland harbor lately, but is now regarded as a 

 variety of the latter. 



The Royal Tern, Elegant Tern, Cabot's Tern, Trudeau's, Forster's, Aleutian, Least Tern, 

 are well known in North America. The latter species is only eight inches in length, and is 

 quite swallow-like in its flight. 



THE SOOTY TERN (Sterna fuliginosa) is remarkable for the excellent quality of its eggs as an 

 edible, most gulls' or Terns' eggs being fishy or unpalatable. During a residence on the Florida 

 Keys, as surgeon of the Military Prison, Fort Jefferson, we had occasion to know how valuable 

 are these eggs. This bird congregates in vast numbers on the islands surrounding the Dry 



VOL. H.-79. 



