TERNS 



6i 



blur (tit iiiiicr WL-bs. grayish-lyUiL-b on outer: rest of 

 tail-feathers with inner webs, pure white, outer webs, 

 pearl-gray; bill, vcniiilion on basal half: rest, black zeith 

 yclluzi-i on extreme tip: ieet. coral-red; iris, deep brown. 

 ADtJLTS IN Winter: Forehead and most of crown, 

 white ; under parts, nearly pure white ; bill and feet. 



Imm.ature: Similar 

 or waslied with Ii.i^ht 



duller; otherwise as in summer, 

 to winter adults, but back mottle 

 brownish and bill brownish. 



Nest and Eggs. — Xes ' : .Sometimes none, but gen- 

 erally a hollow in the sand lined with grass and dry 



seaweed. I'.ci-.s: _^, preenish-whitc to deep I)r(iwn, 

 spotted and blotched with brown, black, and iavenfler. 

 Distribution. — Northern hemisphere, northern South 

 .Xmerica, and Africa; breeds from Great Slave Lake, 

 central Keewatin, and soutliern Ungava south to south- 

 western Saskatchewan, northern North Dakota, south- 

 ern Wisconsin, northern Ohio and North Carolina ; 

 winters from Florida southward to Brazil ; casual in 

 migration on Pacihc coast from British Columbia to 

 Lower California. In eastern hemisphere, breeds in 

 Furope and Asia and winters in India and Africa. 



The level rays uf tlie rising sun, coming up 

 from the other side of the world, stream over the 

 heaving sea, lighting tip an islet where the surf 

 beats unceasingly u]iiin shifting sands. This 

 islet of recent origin has risen from the sea, 

 thrown up by the surging tempestuous waters of 

 the Atlantic and is destitute "f all vegetable life. 

 As our boat lands through the ]ilunging surf a 

 cloud of white birds rises and storms about us 

 with harsh resounding cries. Tcc'-arr, tcc'-arr 

 they call with many variant sounds until all blend 

 in one great monotone of angry entreaty. As we 

 leave the beach a troop of downy young rises 

 and moves toward the farther shore, augmented 

 as it goes bv others Iving hidden behind evcrv 



--tone or shell or luineh nf sea-drift until it seems 

 like a feathered army marching in one continuous 

 front across the isle. .As they reach the farther 

 shore they do nut hesitate, hut throw themselves 

 into the surf, only to he tossed back again 

 drenched and soggy upon the streaming sands. 

 •Stand back now, lie quietly down, and watch 

 them swimming, tumbling in the surf, returning 

 to the island, solicitously guarded bv their watch- 

 ful [larents. \\'e have found a colony of Com- 

 mon Terns ! Xow we see that there are manv 

 eggs laid on the bare sand or in slight hollows 

 where a few stones or bits of seaweed liave been 

 collected by the ])arent birds. 



\Miere nesting material is plentiful this Tern 



Drawing by R. I. Brasher 



COMMON TERN i\ nat. size) 

 It is useful to the fisherman, guiding hira to schools of edible fish 



