236 BULLETIN 113, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Virginia (Northampton County). South to the coast of Louisiana 

 (various islands), southern coast of Texas (Kefugio to Cameron 

 counties), central Colorado (Barr Lake region), northern Utah 

 (Great Salt Lake region) and central California (Merced County). 

 West to the central valleys of California (San Joaquin and Sacra- 

 mento Valleys), central southern Oregon (Klamath Lakes), and 

 central Washington (Douglas County). North to central Alberta 

 (60 miles southeast of Edmonton), and central Manitoba (Lake 

 Winnipegosis). 



Breeding grounds protected in the following national reserva- 

 tions: In Louisiana, Breton Island and Shell Keys; in Oregon, 

 Klamath Lake and Malheur Lake. 



Winter range. — From the coast of South Carolina and the Gulf 

 coasts of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas southward to Brazil (Per- 

 nambuco. From southern California (San Diego region) south- 

 ward along the west coast of Mexico to Guatemala. 



Spring migration. — Early dates of arrival: Virginia, Smith's 

 Island, May 10 ; New Jersey, Five Mile Beach, April 26, and Long 

 Beach, May 14 ; Ohio, Cincinnati, May 4 ; Ontario, May 22 ; Kansas, 

 Emporia, April 18; Illinois, Chicago, May 6; Minnesota, Heron 

 Lake, April 7 ; Manitoba, Oak Point, May 17 ; California, Stockton, 

 April 17, and Monterey, May 10. 



Fall migration. — Early dates of arrival: Lower California, San 

 Jose del Cabo, September 29 ; Guatemala, Lake Duenas, October 28. 

 Late dates of departure: Ontario, Toronto, October 19; Minnesota, 

 Heron Lake, October 14; California, Monterey, September 23. 



Casual records. — Stragglers in summer and fall have been taken 

 as far east as Massachusetts (Ipswich, September, 1870, and Mono- 

 moy Island, October 2, 1880). 



Egg dates. — Virginia: Twenty-eight records, May 30 to July 12; 

 fourteen records, June 5 to 28. Manitoba : Twenty-one records, June 

 7 to July 12 ; eleven records, June 8 to 21. Utah : Nineteen records, 

 June 5 to July 3; ten records, June 11 to 20. California: Fifteen 

 records. May 26 to July 12 ; eight records, May 27 to June 15. 



STERNA HIRUNDO Linnaeus. 

 COHMON TEBN. 



I ; HABITS. 



One of the most charming features of our eastern seacoast is this 

 graceful little " sea swallow." The most attractive combination of 

 summer sea, sky, and sandy beach would be but an empty, lifeless 

 scene without the little " mackerel gull," such a fitting accompani- 

 ment of its gentle surroundings and so suggestive of summer sun- 

 shine and cooling sea breezes. One can not help admiring such an 



