304 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



Fairily LARID.^. Genus Sterna, 



Sub-Family STERNIN^. 



GULL-BILLED TERN. 



Sterna anglica, Montagu. 



(British : Rare abnormal spring and autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, latter end of April, and in 

 May and June. 



Breeding area : Southern Patearctic region, North- 

 western Oriental region, North-eastern Ethiopian region, 

 and Eastern Nearctic region. So far as I can determine, 

 the breeding area of the Gull-billed Tern is absolutely- 

 discontinuous, the isolated individuals being those that 

 breed in the Nearctic region. The Gull-billed Tern 

 breeds on the island of Sylt off the west coast of 

 Sclilcswig, and in Denmark. There appear to be no 

 other northern breeding places in Europe, and the bird's 

 next stations are in the south of Spain and in the delta 

 of the Rhone in Southern France. Thence we trace its 

 colonies through Greece, Asia Minor, and the bnsins of 

 the Black and Caspian Seas. South of the Mediterranean 

 it breeds locally in Northern Africa from Morocco to the 

 shores of the Red Sea. Eastwards in Asia it breeds by 

 the lakes of Persia, Turkestan, Cashmere, and Southern 

 Mongolia. In the New World it is generally distributed 

 along the Atlatitic coasts of North America from about 

 lat. 40° south to Texas, Mexico, and the West Indies. 



Breeding habits : The Gull-billed Tern reaches its 

 southern breeding grounds in Europe in April, but is a 

 month later in the more northerly ones. It is gregarious 

 like its conveners, breedin^^ in colonies, and returninG: to 

 certain spots year by year, so that it probably pairs for 

 life. Its favourite breeding grounds are the shores of 



