BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 23 



margin, the remaining portion of inner webs white; tail bluish- 

 gray, except the outer web of the outer tail feather which is 

 white, the inner web of this feather blackish-gray for about 

 two inches from the end; rump white with a slight tinge of pale 

 bluish gray; sides of head, throat, and entire under surface, 

 white; bill orange-yellow at the base, black near the end, with 

 the tip yellow; legs and feet red. 



Length, 14.5; wing, 10.50; tail, 6; bill, 1.50; tarsus, 1. 



Habitat, North America generally. 



STERNA HIRLNDO L. (70 ) 

 COMMON TERN. 



From about the 20th of April until the first and second weeks 

 in October this species of the Terns may be occasionally seen, 

 but never in any considerable flocks, as in the same latitude on 

 the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. 



For a few days after their arrival, small flocks are met with 

 in the marshes embracing numerous ponds and lakes connected 

 by streams and sloughs, but in a few days they seem to have 

 all gone, yet the presence of one here, and there is unmistaka- 

 ble, though even after securing a male on three occasions I 

 have failed to flush the female or discover the nest in the sum- 

 mer months. 



The taxidermists generally have an individual or tw^o in 

 their collections which they confound with two or three other 

 species as classified now, but can give no intelligent account of 

 where, when, or under what circumstances they were obtained. 

 I know nothing more of their local habits or their distribution. 

 Their usually accepted description is: 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Upper part of the head and hind neck deep black, tinged 

 with brown on the front part of the head; back and wings 

 light grayish blue; first primary with the outer web black, on 

 the inner web grayish-black next the shaft, this color increas- 

 ing in extent towards the end, where it covers the entire web 

 for about one inch, the rest of the inner web white; the next 

 five primaries are hoary on their outer webs, and blackish- 

 gray on their inner next the shaft, and occupying their entire 

 web at the end; margin of the inner webs white; central tail 

 feathers very pale bluish- gray, the other white on their inner 

 webs and dusky- gray on the outer, webs, deepening in color 

 from the central feathers until it becomes blackish-gray on the 

 lateral ones; sides of the head, throat, rump, and under tail 

 coverts, white; breast and abdomen clear, pearl -gray; bill 

 coral- red, black near the end, with the tip yellow; iris hazel; 



-3z 



