THE BIRDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 181 



Recorded ; status not certain. 



Abbott secured a male in post-breeding dress at Sanchez June 1, 

 1919. Hartert informs us that Kaempfer collected an adult male 

 for the Tring Museum at the same point on September 23, 1922. 

 Danforth writes that he saw five at Monte Cristi July 5, 1927, and 

 that R. S. Mathews saw six off Samana Bay, July 11, 1925. 



The bird is included by Tippenhauer in his list for Haiti without 

 definite comment. 



Cabot's tern is of medium size among the terns of this region, and 

 in color is a miniature of the royal tern. The bill is relatively 

 longer and is black with the extreme tip yellow. 



[HYDROPROGNE CASPIA IMPERATOR (Coues) 



CASPIAN TERN 



Thalasseus imperator Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 14, Feb- 

 ruary, 1863, p. 538 (Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie). 

 Eydroprogne caspia, Danfokth, Auk, 1929, p. 365 (Les Salines). 



Danforth writes " three noted at Les Salines on July 30 1927." 

 As specimens were not taken, and as this tern is not known to go 

 regularly to the West Indies this report is here placed in the hypo- 

 thetical list pending further information.] 



CHLIDONIAS NIGRA SURINAMENSIS (Gmelin) 



BLACK TERN 



Sterna surinamensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 604 (Surinam). 

 Eydroclielidon lariformis, Tippenhauer, Die Insel Haiti, 1892, p. 393 (listed). 



Migrant; apparently rare. 



Tippenhauer has reported this species without giving definite 

 record. The only specimens known to us are two taken by W. L. 

 Abbott on Saona Island, Dominican Republic, September 13, 1919. 



The black tern is found usually over freshwater ponds, marshes, 

 and lagoons, where it flies easily back and forth low over the water. 

 Its flight is light and graceful so that a flock of the birds on the wing 

 is a most pleasing picture. 



The black tern is a little larger than the least tern, being from 

 230 to 245 mm. in length. The adult in breeding dress has the head 

 and undersurface entirely black, and is dark gray above. Immature 

 birds and adults in post-breeding plumage are white below, with the 

 forehead and a ring around the neck whitish, and the crown dusky. 

 Birds seen in spring show transition between white and black on the 

 under surface. The bill and feet are black. 



