764 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS — L ONGIPENNES — GA VI^. 



Wings comparatively shorter than those of hirundo, being absolutely a little shorter, though 

 forsteri is a larger bird ; very light colored, being strongly silvered ; outer web of the first 

 primary is not black, but silvery like the others ; all the primaries want the very decided white 

 space on the inner webs which exists in hirundo and macrura ; there are indicrations of it on 

 the three or four outer primaries, but the others are a nearly uniform dusky gray, moderately 

 hoary. Entire under parts white, with scarcely a trace of the plumbeous so evident in 

 hirundo, and so decided a color in macrura. Tail a slightly lighter shade of the color of 

 the mantle, separated from the latter for a short space by the decidedly white rump ; lateral 

 feathers much more lengthened than in hirundo, the elongation generally quite equalling that 

 of macrura, and sometimes even exceeding it. These two lateral feathers are white on the 

 outer web, dusky-gray on the inner. This being exactly the reverse of hirundo, and a very 

 noticeable feature, was the first to draw attention to the bird ; and this character being so 

 tangible and convenient, writers have perhaps laid too much stress upon it, to the exclusion 

 of others quite as evident. Feet bright orange, tinged with vermilion ; tarsus shorter than 

 middle toe and claw ; feet longer and stouter by over 0.10 of an inch than the same parts in 

 hirundo. Adult, winter plumage : The black of the bill increases so much that nearly the 

 whole bill becomes dusky, except a small space at the base of the under mandible, and a 

 terminal space of varying extent. The feet lose their vermilion tinge and become dusky 

 yellowish. The black pileum more or less variegated vritli white on forehead ; but there 

 is always considerable black left on the nape, and a more or less broad and distinct bar 

 always extends along the sides of the head, embracing, the eyes. The lateral tail-feathers 

 have not the elongation and attenuation of those of summer, being but little, if any, longer 

 than those of hirundo during the breeding season. The color of the inner web is usually 

 darker, and sometimes extends on the outer as well as the inner, especially toward the tip of 

 the feather. (*S'. havelli And.) At the time of the moult the old primaries lose their 

 silvering and become plain broAvn and white, their shafts being of a decided yellow. The 

 inner webs at this season have white spaces, with nearly as distinctly defined margins as are 

 found in hirundo and macrura. Young : Bill in all its proportions considerably smaller and 

 weaker than that of the adults ; brownish-black, fading into dull flesh-color at base of under 

 mandible. Front white, but the crown and nape show traces of the black that is to appear, 

 which is now mixed with light brown. Pearl-blue of back and wing-coverts interrupted by 

 irregular patches of light grayish-brown, showing a tendency to become transverse bars ; this 

 gi'ayish- brown on the tertials deepens into brownish -black, and occupies nearly the whole 

 extent of each feather. The primaries diifer from those of the adult in having less silvery 

 gloss, and the inner white S23aces more marked, being in fact like those of the adult hirundo. 

 Rump and under parts pure white. The tail intensifies, so to speak, its adult characters as 

 regards color; and, independently of any other feature, will always serve to identify the 

 species. It is deeply emarginate, but the lateral feather is not greatly produced, sui-passing 

 the second by scarcely more than the latter surpasses the third. Its inner web, for an inch or 

 so from the tip, and both webs of the other feathers, grayish-black ; the intensity of this color, 

 and also its extent, decreasing successively on each feather from without inward, so that the 

 central pair scarcely deepen their color at the tips. The outer web of the lateral feather white, 

 but sometimes is just at the tip invaded by the darker color of its inner web. N. Am. at large, 

 common ; breeds from Texas to the Fur countries ; abundant along Atlantic coast during the 

 migrations; S. in winter to Brazil. Nest in marshes; eggs 2-3, 1.85 Xl-35, yeUovvish-drab, 

 freely but irregularly spotted and dashed with different shades of brown. 

 799. S. macru'ra. (Gr. fiaKpos, makros, long ; ovpa, oura, tail.) Arctic Tern. Adult in 

 breeding plumage : Bill shorter than head, equal to middle toe and tarsus together, slender, 

 compressed, acute, deep carmine, or lake red ; usually without any black, but tliis color 

 sometimes appearing in a limited degree. Feet remarkably smaU and weak ; tibiae bare for 



