WASHINGTON HYPOTHETICAL LIST. 983 



Occurrence in Washington. — If migratory (and valid) will undoubtedly occur along 

 our coasts. 



H. No. 42. 



MEW GULL. 



A. O. \J. Hypothetical List. Larus canus Linn. 



Description. — Very similar to L. hiachyrhynihus (q. v. p. 738) but with wing averaging 

 longer and bill stouter: "bluish bases of primaries darker, not fading into white at their 

 junction with the black, not running so far along the feathers, nor farther in the centers than 

 along edges of inner webs" (Coues). 



General Range. — Northern Europe and .-\sia; of doubtful occurrence along the Pacific 

 Coast in winter. 



H. No. 43. 



GULL-BILLED TERN. 



A. O. U. No. 63. Qelochelidon nilotica (Hasselq.). 



Synonym. — M.^rsh Tern. 



Description. — Adult in siiiinncr: Top of head and nape black; remaining uppcrparts 

 light pearl-gray; primaries silver-gray over dusky, bla-ckening on tips but with ivory-white 

 shafts, and with some white on inner edge of inner web, the amount of white decreasing 

 inwardly; tail slightly forked; remaining plumage white; bill rather short and stout, with 

 conspicuous angle, and culmen decidedly curving toward tip. — hence like a Gull's — black; 

 feet blackish. Adult in 'a'intcr: Similar, but head and neck white with dusky gray spots 

 before eye and on ear-coverts and grayish suffusion on hind-neck or with traces of black cap 

 in variable proportions. Length 13.00-15.00; wing 12.00; tail 4.50-5.50, forked i. 25-1. 75; 

 bill 1.35; depth of bill at base .48; tarsus 1.30. 



General Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan; in North America chiefly along the Atlantic 

 and Gulf Coasts of the United States, breeding north to southern New Jersey, and wandering 

 casually to Long Island and Massachusetts; in winter both coasts of Mexico and Central 

 America and south to Brazil. 



Possible Occurrence in Washington. — B. J. Bretherton in Bulletin No. 68, Oregon 

 Agr. E.xp. Station, 1902. p. 10 — "A very common fall migrant" (at Vac|uina Bay). Dubious, 

 but if correct then bird certain to appear along the western coast. 



H. No. 44. 



CASPIAN TERN. 



A. O. U. No. 64. Sterna caspia Pallas. 



Description. — Adult in siring: Top of head and nape uniform lustrous black; upper- 

 parts pearl-gray, whitening somewhat on rump and posteriorly; wing-quills not especially 

 different, the silvery gray nearly concealing dusky on exposed portions ; inner webs plain 

 grayish dusky; tail slightly forked for about one-fifth of its length, — folded wings con- 

 siderably exceeding; remaining plumage white; bill very stout, — the depth at base being 

 nearly equal to one-third the length of culmen, — bright coral-red, slightly tinged with dusky 

 at tip; feet and legs black. Adult after the breeding season and in winter: Similar, but 

 black of crown speckled or streaked with dull white. Young: Black cap of adult represented 

 by spotting on top of head (on grayish white ground), increasing in density until nearly 

 uniform on hind head; above dull pearl gray, sparingly spotted or barred with brownish 

 dusky; primaries darker than in adult; tail pearl-gray with dusky subterminal spots, or 

 indistinct barring; remaining plumage white, bill orange-red; feet brownish black. Length 

 20.00-23.00; wing 16,25; tail 5.00-6.50; bill 2.75; depth of bill at base .80-.9S ; tarsus 1.80. 



General Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan; in America of irregular distribution, breeding 

 north to (^ireat Slave Lake, south to Lake Michigan, Virginia, Texas, Nevada, California and 

 Oregon. _ 



Supposed Occurrence in Washington. — Alessrs. Bohlman and Finley have found large 

 colonies of this species breeding on the lakes of southern Oregon and their former appear- 

 ance upon the lakes of the East-side is highly probable. Cooper also doubtfully recorded 

 the occurrence of certain large Terns seen at Shoalwater Bay under the title Sterna regia 

 (Royal Tern) but they were probably of this species. 



