^Q CASPIAN TERN. 



HABITS. 

 Terns! What a multitude of pleasant niciuovies is conjured up at tlie sight of this short 

 word, for these graceful birds have always been special favorites of mine and I have spent 

 many delightful hours along our shores, studying their habits. The Marsh Tern is far from 

 being very common anywhere, for although I have shot it in Massachusetts and Florida, 

 it is rare in both States. It breeds, however, in the intermediate districts, nesting on the 

 i.shmds off the coast of Virginia, late in June, depositing the eggs on sand hills. The 

 flight of this Tern is rather hea\ y ami its cries are harsh, but it does not differ essentially 

 in habit from many other members of the genus. 



STERNA CASPIA. 



Caspian Tern. 



Slerna caspia Vm.l., Nov. Com. Pctv. ; 1770, 5H2. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cu. Form, robu><t. Size, large. Bill, stout. Colou. Adult. Above, pale blui-^h-asli with primarie.« dark-slaty 



on inner webs. Tail and coverts, asliy-wliite. Top of head and occiput, black, glossed with greenish. Beneath, white. 



Bill, red, iris, brown, and feet, black. In winter, and Youn<j. Similar but paltr, and the top of head is more or les.s white. 



ODSERVATIONS. 

 Known liy the large size, ashy-gray inner web-; of primaries, and red bill. Distributed, in summer, along our entire 

 coast: winters from Massaeliu^etts, southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from North America. Lengtli, 21-50; stretch, .50'50; wing, 16-3v); tail, 5-50; bill, 

 S 63; tarsus, 1'63. Limgestspeciiiien,'2:3-0;); great.^st extent of wing, 51-00; longest wing, 10-75; tail. 6-00; bill,2 75; tai-sus, 

 1 75. S!iortest specimen, 2103; smallest extent of wing, SJ'OO; shortest wing, 16-00; tail, 5-00; bill, 2-50; tarsus, 1-50. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Eygs, placed on the ground, three or fjur in nambsr, oval in f jrm, and varying from whit? t) greenlsli-buff in color, 

 spotted and blotched with brown and lilac of vai'ying shades. Dimensions from 1-85x2-70 to 1-90x2-75. 



HABITS. 

 The hirge and handsome Caspian Tern is, perhaps, the least agile on the wing of any 

 of the genus, moving in a similar manner to that of some of the smaller Gulls, but in hab- 

 its it closely resembles its other relatives and the note is extremely harsli. Formerly, the 

 Caspian Tern was supposed to breed only iu the North but recently it has been found nest- 

 ing, though not in any numbers, on the islands off the coast of Virginia and further south. 

 It is possible that this Inrd occurs in Florida, in summer but I have never met with speci- 

 mens there, although I htive killed many of the succeeding species, which they closely re- 

 semble, in the State. 



STERNA REGIA. 

 Royal Tern. 



Slerna recjia Gamd., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil., 1848, 228. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, roliust. Size, large. Bill, stout. Color. Adult. Pale bluish-asli above, -with primaries darker on 



outer webs and on a narrow line next the shaft of inner, the remainder of which lieing white. Tail and coverts, ashy-whito. 



Top of head and occi|mt,bl!ick, glossed with greeni.sh White beneath, tinged with rosy. Iris, brown, feet, black, bill, 



red. Winter adult and Younij. Similar but paler, the primaries are overwashed with hoary, and the crown is partly white. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Easily recognized by the large size, red bill, and nearly white inner webs to primaries. Distributed, in summer, from 

 New Jersey, southward. Winters in Florida. Rare as far north as Massachusetts. 



DDIENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 19-88; stretch, 43-50; wing, 14-00; tail, 6-12; bill, 258; 

 tai-sus, 1-30. Longestspecimen,20-50;greatest extent of wing, 44 50; longest wing, 14-50; tail, 7-00; hill, 2-90; tarsus 1-40. 

 Shortest specimen, 1925; smallest extent of wing, 42-50; shortest wing, 1350; tail, 525- bill, 2-25- tarsus 1-20 



