452 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I50 



The Caspian tern breeds locally throughout the Northern Hemis- 

 phere. In the New World in winter it is found from central Cali- 

 fornia, the Gulf of Mexico, and North Carolina, south along both 

 coasts of Mexico, and in the Greater Antilles east to Haiti. To the 

 southward it is regular in northern Colombia along the Caribbean 

 coast and on the lower Rio Magdalena but is not reported elsewhere 

 in South America. 



The only record for Panama is of a bird banded by L. Tyler on 

 South Limestone Island, Georgian Bay, southeastern Ontario, on 

 June 11, 1955, that was found wounded at Aligandi, San Bias, on 

 the evening of November 12 of that year. It died the following 

 morning, according to the report forwarded by Dr. Alcibiades Igle- 

 sias. 



It seems probable that the species may come in small numbers 

 along the eastern coast of the San Bias, as it is recorded from Puerto 

 Colombia and Cartagena, Colombia. The red bill is the most definite 

 mark of the species during flight. 



In Spain the Caspian tern is known as pagasa piquirojo. 



STERNA HIRUNDO HIRUNDO Linnaeus: Common Tern; 

 Gaviotfn Comtin 



Sterna Hirundo Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 137. (Sweden.) 



Gray above, with the back of the head and shoulder black. 



Description. — Length, 290 to 320 mm. Outer tail feathers with 

 outer web dark, and inner web white. Breeding dress, crown and 

 nape black ; rest of upper surface light gray ; outer primaries with 

 outer web black ; outer webs of others gray ; lower surface white. 



Winter plumage, forepart of crown white; space around eye, rest 

 of crown and nape black; lesser wing coverts dusky; otherwise as 

 in summer. In many the silvery gray of the outer webs of the pri- 

 maries wears thin to show black beneath. 



Immature, like winter adults, but tertials with a dusky subterminal 

 bar, and white tip. 



Measurements, (from Ridgway, I.e., p. 494). — Males, wing 256- 

 273 (265.6), tail 128-174 (148.9), culmen 33-39 (37.2), tarsus 18- 

 20.5 (19.2) mm. 



Females, wing 235-273 (257.7), tail 132.5-161.5 (147.4), culmen 

 32-40.5 (35.7), tarsus 17.5-20 (18.9) mm. 



Migrant from the north. Fairly common on both coasts ; occasional 

 on Gatun Lake and other large inland waters. 



The main flight from the north appears to come in October and 



