TERNS 57 



Geog. Dist. — Irregularly distributed throughout the world; in North 

 America breeding locally south to Virginia, Texas, Nevada, Michigan, Cali- 

 fornia, Pelican Island in the Gulf of Mexico but chiefly breeding northward 

 in Arctic regions to Great Slave Lake ; winters south of the United States. 



County Records. — Cumberland ; a bird of the year taken at Richmond's 

 Island in 1895 and now in the Portland Society collection, (Norton, P. P. S. 

 N. H., April 1, 1897, p. 104) ; one taken at Clapboard Island, Casco Bay, May 

 11, 1901, and mounted for the Bowdoin College collection, (Lord) ; one in 

 the collection of J. A. Coolbroth which was taken several years ago near 

 Richmond's Island and was in full nuptial plumage, (Norton, J. M. O. S., 

 1905, p. 57). Knox ; very rare, (Rackliff). Sagadahoc ; August and Sep- 

 tember, not plenty, (Spinney). Washington; seen in migration, rare, 

 (Boardman). 



This species is not known to breed in New England, though 

 nesting both south and north of our limits. It occurs as a rare 

 spring and fall migrant along the coast. The birds nest in 

 colonies either on islands in lakes or along coasts. A set 

 of three eggs taken at Gravel Gull Island, Green Bay Wiscon- 

 sin, May 29, 1892, was in a mere hollow in the sand and gravel. 

 These eggs are ashy gray, spotted with dark brown and black 

 and measure 2.28 x 1.72, 2.37 x 1.75. Two or three eggs are 

 usually laid and these are described in the manuals as being 

 grayish white in color with rather faint obscure chocolate mark- 

 ings which is rather different from the set in my possession and 

 other authentic sets I have examined. This species is the largest 

 of the Terns and their food consists of small fish and surface 

 swimming water life in general. 



Subgenus STERNA Linnaeus. 



70. Sterna hirundo Linn. Common Tern; Wilson's Tern; 

 Mackerel Gull; Medrick; Sea Swallow; Red-shank; Summer 

 Gull. 



Plumage in summer adults : top of head pure black ; throat white ; breast 

 and belly pale pearl gray ; back and wings pearl gray ; tail white with outer 

 webs of outer feathers pearl gray ; inner border of inner web of outer 

 primaries white ; bill black at end, red at base ; feet orange red. Adult 

 winter plumage: front of head and under parts white ; bill and feet duller 

 red. Immature plumage : crown mixed black and grayish white, back 



