264 BULLETIN 113, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Fall. — By the first or middle of August, when the young birds 

 have been taught to fly and fish for themselves, both old and young 

 birds begin to move away from their breeding grounds and wander 

 about the coasts and islands in search of food, often straying far 

 north of their breeding haunts at this season. They often congre- 

 gate in large flocks, following the schools of small fish, resting and 

 roosting on the sand beaches and sand bars. Their time for depar- 

 ture for the south depends on the food supply, but they usually be- 

 gin to disappear in October and before the end of the month are 

 all gone. They are said to follow the schools of bluefish, or, at least, 

 to disappear with them. Their fall migration carries them beyond 

 the limits of the United States to their winter quarters in the 

 Bahamas, the West Indies, and the coasts of South America. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — In North America, along the Atlantic coast from 

 Nova Scotia (Sable and Noddy Islands) locally to New York (Long 

 Island and vicinity) ; Florida (Tortugas) ; formerly in New Jer- 

 sey and Virginia. Bermuda and Bahama Islands (Acklin, Eleuthera, 

 etc.), the Lesser Antilles (Antigua, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Grenada, 

 etc.), and westw^ard to Venezuela (Aruba Island) and British Hon- 

 duras. In the Eastern Hemisphere on the coasts of the North Sea 

 and Atlantic Ocean from 57° north latitude to the Mediterranean, 

 the Azores, Madeira, the coasts of Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon, and 

 southern China. The Australian bird has been described as a dis- 

 tinct subspecies. 



Breeding grounds protected in the following national reservation : 

 In Florida, Tortugas Islands. 



Winter range. — From the Bahama Islands, Cuba, and occasionally 

 Louisiana, southward to Brazil; and from southern Mexico (Te- 

 huantepec) to Chile. 



Spring migration. — Arrives in Bermuda from April 29 to May 1 ; 

 Massachusetts, Muskeget, May 8 to 10; Connecticut, Faulkner's 

 Island, May 15. 



Fall migration. — Leaves Bermuda in September and Massachusetts 

 about October 1. Other migration data seems to be lacking; prob- 

 ably the migration occurs well off the coast. 



Casual records. — Accidental inland as far north as New York 

 (Youngstown, May 31, 1886) and as far west as Indiana (Millers, 

 August 14, 1916). 



Egg dates. — Massachusetts : Thirty-one records, June 2 to August 

 15 ; sixteen records, June 15 to July 6. Bahamas and Florida Keys : 

 Eight records, April 30 to June 12; four records, May 16 to 21. 



