CASPIAN TERN. 1 5 



Adult in Winter Plumage. — Similar to the summer plumage, 

 but distinguished by the colour of the crown, which, instead of 

 being wholly black, is white, with broad central streaks of black, 

 the sides of the face being similarly marked. 



Immature Birds. — Resemble the winter plumage of the adults 

 as regards the crown of the head, but the black round the eye 

 and above the ear-coverts is uniform. The back is pearly-grey 

 in contrast to the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, 

 which are whiter. On the wings, tail, and upper surface of the 

 body, in places, are blacker bars or arrow-head markings, 

 indicating immaturity. 



Nestling (one day old). — Above, pale buff, inconspicuously 

 mottled with dull brown ; under parts dull white. Older nestlings 

 show a greyer tint above {Saunders). 



Characters. — The Caspian Tern is distinguished by its large 

 size and stout red bill. Other characters are given under the 

 heading of the genus. 



Range in Great Britain. — Nine specimens of the Caspian Tern 

 have been recorded from Norfolk, and others have been seen 

 off the eastern and southern coasts of England from Yorkshire 

 and Lincolnshire and Dorset. Mr. E. Bidwell informed Mr. 

 Howard Saunders that he had seen an individual of this species 

 off the Fame Islands on the 6th of June, 1880. It has not yet 

 been recorded fiom Scotland or Ireland, and the number of 

 specimens noted in the United Kingdom is under twenty. 



Range Outside the British Islands. — The present species is found 

 throughout the Mediterranean countries, and its breeding range 

 in Europe extends to about 60° N. lat., as it nests on the 

 islands of Sylt and other localities in the Baltic. Mr. Howard 

 Saunders believes that it may also breed, or recently bred, on 

 the Dutch coast. It breeds in many parts of Asia, but does not 

 reach to Japan, and it also inhabits Australia and New 

 Zealand. To many countries bordering the Indian Ocean the 

 Caspian Tern is only a winter visitor, as it is to Africa, but it 

 nests along the shores of the Persian Gulf and in Ceylon. 

 In North America it occurs on both coasts, from a little beyond 

 the Arctic Circle to Florida on the Atlantic side and to Cali- 

 fornia on the west. 



