LAPdD.E — STERNINjE: TERNS, SEA SWALLOWS. 



1013 



coverts. Primaries slate-color toward the tips ; shafts white, inuer webs with a longitudinal 

 space of wliite, outer web of the 1st slaty-black. Inner tail-feathers white, as are tlieir shafts, 

 each witli a subterniinal crescent-shaped spot of brownish-black. Nestlings indistinguishable 

 from those of hirundo in coloration, but averaging darker. Adult : Length (extremely vari- 

 able from varying length of tail) 14.()0-17.0U; extent 29.00-33.00; wing 10.00-10.75; tail 

 usually 7.00-8.00, sometimes 6.50-8.50, forked 4.00-5.00; tibiiebare 0.45; tarsus 0.55-0.05; 

 middle toe and claw 0.80-0.85; inner toe and claw 0.55; whole foot about 1.50; bill along 

 culmen 1.20-1.40; height at base 0.30; from featliers of .side of lower mandible to tip 1.40; 

 gape 1.90; gonys 0.75. A beautiful Tern, easily recognized by points of size and form, aside 

 from color; this varies mucli with age and season, giving rise to many nominal species; among 

 American synonyms are S. pikei Lawk., S. lungipennis CouKS nee Nordm., S. x>ortlandica 

 RinGW. Others are: S. hirundo Linn., in part; S. mucrura Nal'm., of 2d-4th eds. of the 

 Key, as of most authors, which unfortunately must yield to S. paradis(ca Bruxn. 17(34, though 

 the latter name used to be given to the Roseate Tern ; S. arctica Temm. ; S. argentata Brehm ; 



■ An tir I'liu. 



iS. coccineirostris Kkicii.; .S'. hrncJii/tarsa Graba; S. hraclujpns and senegalensis Sw. North- 

 ern Hemisphere. The bird i.s wide-ranging like most Terns; Europe, Asia, Africa; North 

 America at large ; breeds from Massachusetts N. to the Arctic regions ; S. to Middle States and 

 California in winter, but also then passing on to South America. Eggs 2-3, not distinguish- 

 aldc from tliose of the two foregoing species, but averaging smaller, say 1.05 X 1.15. 

 S. dou'Kalli. (To Dr. McDougall. Fig. 089.) Roskate Tern. McDoi'GALl's Tern. 

 Graceful Tern. r>ill about as long as head or foot, straiglit, slender, compressed, very 

 acute; gonys longer than rami, former straight, latter concave in outline, with acute but not 

 prominent angle between thorn. Wings shorter than usual ; 1st primary little longer than next. 

 Tail deeply forked, witli very long narrow streamers. Tibiae slightly denuiled ; tarsus a little 

 shorter tlian middle toe and claw. Whcde form trim and elegant. Adult $ 9- breeding plu- 

 mage: ]5ill black, the extreme ])oint yellowish, the base for a little distance, and inside of 

 moutli, red. Feet bright red; chiws black. Cap lustrous black, very amide, reaching to 

 lower border of eyes; under eyelid white, as is a streak to end of featliers on bill. Neck all 

 around and entiri' under parts snowy wliite, tinted with lovely rose-pink. Mantle delicate 

 pale pearly, over all the upper parts from the neck, including rump and base of tail, fading to 

 white on tips of inner secondaries ami inner webs of the others. Streamers white on both 

 webs, sometimes with a faint pearly tint. Primaries grayish-black, strongly silvered when 



