56 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Geog. Dist. — Nearly cosmopolitan ; in North America chiefly along the 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts, breeding north to southern New Jersey, and occa- 

 sionally straggling north to Washington County, Maine ; in winter coast of 

 Mexico south to Brazil. 



County Records.— Cumberland ; three taken in September, 1868, and 

 individuals seen also on May 21, 1881, (Smith, F. & S. 20, p. 204). Washing- 

 ton; accidental, (Boardman). 



Though this species formerly straggled along the coast of 

 Maine there appear to be no recent records of its occurence. 

 There seems to be no reason to suppose that it ever nested in 

 Maine, but rather that the individuals occuring here were illus- 

 trations of that northern migration of birds inhabiting a more 

 southern area which often occurs without seeming reason, and 

 which results in scattered individuals or flocks wandering far 

 north of their normal range. In their southern breeding 

 grounds they nest in colonies, often associated with other sea- 

 fowl, on various grassy islands along the coast, laying three or 

 four eggs in depressions in the sand or among the short grass. 

 These eggs vary in color from very light yellowish buff to 

 greenish buff", spotted with lilac, brown and umber. Three 

 taken from a nest on the salt marshes, Cobb's Island, Virginia, 

 July 4, 1882, measure 1.80x1.26, 1.85x1.26, 1.86 x 1.26. 

 They have been reported to prefer insects which were caught 

 while on the wing to fish but they also eat fish and surface 

 swimming marine life. 



Genus STERNA Linnaeus. 

 Subgenus THALASSEUS Boie. 



64. Sterria caspia FallsLS. Caspian Tern; Imperial Tern. 

 Plumage in spring adults : top of head and nape glossy black ; upper parts 

 pale pearl gray ; otherwise white ; bill red, dusky at tip ; feet black. 

 Plumage in summer, fall and winter adults : white on top of head inter- 

 mixed with black, otherwise as in spring. Immature plumage : above pale 

 grayish, spotted with dusky ; top of head streaked with black and white ; tail 

 feathers with dusky subterminal spots ; primaries slaty ; otherwise white ; 

 bill brownish black. Wing 15.00 to 17.00 ; culmen 2.75 ; tarsus 1.75 ; depth 

 of bill at base 0.85. 



