860 



U. S. p. E. R EXP. AND SDKVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



Sp. Ch. — ,iduH. Front, crown, and long occipital feathers greenish black ; back and wings light bluish gray ; primaries lioary 

 black on their outer webs, and on their inner next the shaft ; remaining part of inner webs white ; tail pearl white ; entire 

 under surface pure white ; bill deep red ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet black. Length, 21 inches ; wing, 15 ; tail, 7| ; bill, 

 23 ; depth at base, JJ ; tarsus, Ij ; middle toe and claw, 1|. 



Hab. — Atlantic coast of the southern and middle States and California. 



There are three specimens in the collection. 



List of spedmens. 



STERNA ELEGANS, Gambel. 



The Elegant Tern. 



Sterna elegans, Game. Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. IV, 1848, 129. 



Thallasseus elegans, Game. Journ. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. 2d series, I, 1849, 228. 



Sp. Ch. — Jidull male. "This elegant species differs from Sterna regia, not only in proportions, but in the delicate hue of the 

 under parts, which are of a satiny cream color when living, but faded very much in the dried specimen. 



" The bill is of the same color as in the regia, and as long, but much more slender ; the prominent angle beneath half an 

 inch further from the point, and the depth at base two-tenths of an inch less. Wings two and a half inches shorter, but of the 

 same color in every respect. Legs pure 'black ; the tarsus nearly as long as in the former, but the toes much shorter. Tail 

 long, pure white, and deeply forked ; whole top of head from the bill pure white, extending into an ample flowing crest, as in 

 the former species, (S. regia.) 



" I procured tliis species on the Pacific coast of Mexico, particularly at Mazatlan, at the mouth of the G ilf of California." 



" Lengtli, 17 inchrs ; wing, 12' ; outer tail feathers, 6Jj ; tarsus, 1^^ ; bill, bright red along the ridge, 2.^",, ; depth at 

 commencement of feathers, -£- ; symphisis to point beneath, 1| inches." 



This species being an inhabitant of the coast of South California, I have included it among 

 our birds, as it undoubtedly must frequent that of North California also. The description is 

 taken from Gambel. 



STEKNA ACUFLAVIDA, Cabot. 



Cabot's Teru. 



Sterna cantiaca, Ndtt. Man. II, 1834, 276.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 531.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 87 ; pi. 



ccccxxxi. 

 Sterna acvjlavida, Cabot, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H. II, 1847, 257. 



Sp. Ch. — Mull. Upper part of the head, occiput, and hind neck deep black ; back and wings light pearl blue ; four outer primaries 

 blackish gray on their outer webs, and on the inner adjoining the shaft ; remainder of inner web white ; sides of the head below 

 the eye, neck, entire under plumage, rump, and tail white ; bill black, with the tip yellow for one fourth its cn»th ; iris brown ; 

 legs and feet black. Length, 15J inches ; wing, 11 ; tail, 5| ; bill, 2;, ; tarsus, I. 



Hab. — Texas to Florida. 



Specimen in my cabinet, and in that of Smithsonian Institution, from Texas. 



