318 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



wings ; under parts apparently white (really tinged with rose- 

 pink); bill black, tinged at base with reddish. Ad. in autumn. — 

 Similar, but forehead and forward portion of crown white, 

 streaked with blackish. Im. — Similar to fall adult. 



The Roseate Tern is a rare summer resident of the coast 

 of southern New England and New York. On the island 

 of Muskeget, between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, 

 there is a large colony of Eoseate Terns ; a smaller colony 

 is established on Penikese, and a few other colonies are 

 found along Long Island Sound. 



Its times of arrival and departure and its habits are simi- 

 lar to those of the Common Tern, but an adult may easily 

 be distinguished, when seen at close range, by the bill, 

 which is chiefly black, in strong contrast to the pure white 

 under parts, and by the very long and pure white outer 

 tail-feathers. Its cry, too, differs from that of the com- 

 moner tern, resembling the syllable each ; this it utters 

 on the breeding-ground as it flies at an intruder, its bill 

 pointing straight at his face, threatening till the last 

 moment to strike him. The young bird cannot be distin- 

 guished in life from the young Common Tern ; care must 

 be taken, too, not to take a young Common Tern, which 

 has a dark bill, for a Roseate Tern. A combination of a 

 black bill with an entirely black crown and long white 

 tail-feathers makes identification certain. 



Arctic Tern. Sterna paradiscea 



15.50 



Ad. in summer. — Top of head black ; back and wings pearl- 

 gray ; tail white; under parts grayish- white ; bill rich red. Ad. 

 in autumn. — Similar, but lower parts white ; forehead white ; 

 crown white, streaked with black ; bill as in summer. Im. — 

 Similar to fall adult, but terminal half of bill blackish. 



The Arctic Tern is a common summer resident on the coast 

 of Maine. On Matinicus Rock, Machias Seal Island, and 



