LARID^ — THE GULLS AND TERNS — STERNA. 



21' 



America, known only from the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts, north, casually, to Penn- 

 sylvania. 

 14. S. anaestheta. Aliove, sooty plumbeous, lightenin.t,' gradually on the upper back into 

 asby, tliis gradually lading into wliitish on the nape, the black of tlie pileum being 

 strongly contrasted. Wing, about 10.50 inches. Hab Sea-coasts throughout the warmer 

 parts of the world ; casual on the coast of Florida. 



Sterna anglica. 



THE GULL-BILLED TERN. 



Sterna anglica, Mo^TAC.VE, Orn. Diet. Suppl. 1813. — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 269. — Aud. Orn. 



Biog. V. 1839, 127, pi. 410 ; Synop. 1839, 316 ; B. Am. VII. 1844, 81, pi. 430. — Coues, Key, 



1872, 319 ; Check List, 1873, no. 560 ; 2d ed, 1882, no. 792. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, 



no. 679. 

 Gelochdidon angh'ca, BonAV. Comi). List, 1838, 61. — Coues, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliilad. 1862, 536 



(critical). 

 Sterna (Gelochelidon) anglica, Coues, B. N. W. 1874, 664. 

 Sterna aranea, AVils. Am. Orn. VIII. 1814, 143, pi. 72, f. 6. — Lawr. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 



859. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 681. 

 Sterna risoria, Brehm, Lehrb. 1823, 683 ; Beitr. III. 650. 



? Sterna macrotarsa, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lend. pt. v. 1837, 26; B. Austr. Suppl., pi. 

 Sterna affinis, HoRSF. (fide Blas. ) 

 Gelochelidon pahistr is, Macgill. Man. II. 1842, 237. 

 Gelochelidon halthica, agraria, meridionalis, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 772, 773, 774. 



Hab. Nearly cosmopolitan, but in North America confined to the Eastern Province, and rare 

 away from the coast ; the greater part of tropical America, south to Brazil ; both coasts of Central 

 America ; Bermuda 1 



Sp. Char. Adult, in summer : Pileum and nape deep black ; upper parts, including the rump, 

 upper tail-coverts, and tail, delicate pale pearl-gray, the primaries more hoary, and usually darker ; 

 inner webs of primaries ash-gray, with a broad white space from the edge more than half way to 

 the shaft, but not extending to the ends of the quills. Rest of the plumage pure white. Bill 

 wholly deep black ; interior of mouth flesh-color ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet dark walnut- 

 brown, the soles pale pinkish brown; claws black. Adult, in vnntcr : Similar, but whole head 

 and neck white, the nape tinged with grayish, the auriculars darker grayish, as is also a crescentic 

 space immediately in front of the eyes. Young, first plumage : Above, pale pearl-blue, the feathers 



more or less tipped with light clay-color, this sometimes almost uniform over the back and scap- 

 ulars, where the feathers are bluish only beneath the surface ; a blackish crescentic spot immedi- 

 ately in front of the eye, and a dusky grayish suffusion on the auriculars, forming a more or less 

 distinct postocular stripe. Lower parts entirely pure white. Rump, upper tail-coverts, tail, and 



