Specimen "Page 



North American Birds Eggs. 



74. Least Tern. Sterna antillarum. 



Range. — From northern South America to southern New England, Dakota and 



California, breeding locally throughout its range. 



These little Sea Swallows are the smallest of the 

 Terns, being but 9 inches in length. They have a 

 yellow bill with a black tip, a black crown and nape, 

 and white forehead. Although small, these little 

 Terns lose none of the grace and beauty of action of 

 their larger relatives. They nest in colonies on the 

 South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, placing their eggs 

 upon the bare sand, where they are sometimes very 

 ditiicult to see among the shells and pebbles. They 

 are of a grayish or buffy color spotted with umber and 

 lilac. They number two, three and rarely four, and 

 are laid in May and June. Size 1.25 x .95. Data.— 



DeSota Beach, Florida, May 20, 188-t. Three eggs laid on the sandy beach. 



Collector, Chas. Graham. 



75. Sooty Tern. Sterna fiiliginosa. 



Range.— Tropical America, north to the South Atlantic States. 



This species measures 17 inches in 

 length; it has a brownish black mantle, 

 wings and tail, except the outer feathers 

 of the latter which are white; the forehead 

 and underparts are white, the crown and 

 a line from the eye to the bill, black. 

 This tropical species is very numerous at 

 its breeding grounds on the small islands 

 of the Florida Keys and the West Indies. 

 They lay but a single egg, generally 

 placing it on the bare ground, or occa- 

 sionally building a frail nest of grasses. 

 The egg has a pinkish white or creamy 

 ground and is beautifully sprinkled with 

 spots of reddish brown and lilac. They 

 are laid during May. Size 2,05 x 1.45, 

 Data, — Clutheria Key, Bahamas, May 28, 1891 

 near water. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



[76.] Bridled Tern. Stern anpethetvs. 

 Range. 



(Creamy white.] 

 Single egg laid on bare ground 



Found in tropical regions of both hemispheres; 



in Florida. 



casual or accidental 



[Creamy white.] 



This Tern is similar to the last except 

 that the nape is white and the white of the 

 forehead extends in a line over the eye. 

 The Bridled Tern is common on some of 

 the islands of the West Indies and the 

 Bahamas, nesting in company with the 

 Sooty Terns and Noddies. The single 

 egg is laid on the seashore or among the 

 rocks. It is creamy white, beautifully 

 marked with brown and lilac. Size 1.85 

 X 1,25. Data,— Bahamas, May 9, 1892. 

 Single egg laid in a cavity among the 

 rocks. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



