THE COMMON TERN. 
No. 301. 
COMMON TERN. 
A. O. U. No. 70. Sterna hirundo Linn. 
Synonyms.—W/ILson’s TERN. SEA SwaLtow. “BAss-GULL.” 
Description.—4dult in swmmer: Top of head and nape uniform deep black; 
back and wings pearl-gray ; wing-quills dusky, more or less silvered over, except 
on outer web of outer primary; the inner half of inner webs sharply white, but 
not reaching tip; rump, upper tail-coverts and tail (basally and centrally), white; 
tail deeply forked, the outer pair of feathers elongated and narrowly tapering but 
not, or barely, reaching the tips of closed wings; their outer webs abruptly 
grayish-dusky, contrasting with white of inner webs; the succeeding pair also 
sunilarly marked; underparts white, tinged, except on throat and crissum, with 
pale pearl-gray or lavender-gray; bill vermilion-red, blackening on tip; feet 
orange-vermilion. Adult in winter: Similar, but black cap imperfect, restricted 
to hinder portion of head, or merely indicated (?); underparts pure white; bill 
and feet not so bright. Young (in August): Forehead and lores ashy-gray; 
region about eyes, hind crown, and nape leaden black; back, scapulars and wings 
pearl-gray, each feather tipped with brownish-buff and mingled subterminally 
with brownish-dusky, forming a strong bar; upper tail-coverts and tail lighter 
pearl-gray, the central feathers of the latter tipped with buffy; the anterior lesser 
wing-coverts bluish-dusky, with narrow ashy edgings; edge of wing and quills 
plumbeous-gray; underparts, white. Length, 13.00-16.00 (330.2-406.4); wing 
10.75 (273) ; tail 5.00-6.00 (127-152.4) ; bill 1.38 (35.1) ; tarsus .80 (20.3). 
Recognition Marks.—Little Hawk or Crow size; black cap; pearl-gray 
mantle; deeply forked tail; extensive white, or pale grayish plumage; graceful 
flight. Known from the preceding species by outer pair of tail-feathers dark on 
the outer instead of the inner web; underparts not pure white in breeding season. 
Bill tipped with black as distinguished from next species. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington. Nests: in colonies, on beach 
shingle, or in grass of low islands, lined or not, with bits of bark, grass, ete. 
Eggs: 2 or 3, rarely 4, very variable in ground color—light bluish or greenish, 
dull white, stone, light olive, etc., spotted and blotched heavily, or not, with 
blackish-brown or chocolate, and with lavender shell-marks. Av. size, 1.60 x 1.20 
(40.6 x 30.5). Season: June; one brood. 
General Range.—Greater part of the northern hemisphere and Africa. 
In North America, chiefly east of the Plains, breeding from the Arctic Coast, 
somewhat irregularly, to Florida, Texas, and Arizona, and wintering northward 
to Virginia. Also coast of Lower California. Appallingly reduced in numbers 
within recent years. 
Range in Washington.—Noi uncommon, sometimes abundant during migra- 
tions, chiefly coastwise; tarries locally in September on lower Sound. 
Migrations.—S pring: c. May 15; Port Townsend, May 13, 1908 (1000). 
Fall: August 25-Sept. 30. 
Authorities—Dawson, Wilson Bulletin, No. 39, June 1902, p. 59. Also 
specimens taken Blaine, Aug. 28, 1906. E. 
Specimens.—Prov. E. 
