BIRDS OF NEW YORK 



143 



The Forster tern is an uncommon bird on the coast of this State, 

 occurring as a transient in the fall. It has rarely been reported from the 

 interior of the State, although it breeds at St Clair Flats and formerly did 

 so on some of the islands in Lake Erie. It is a nearctic species, nesting 

 from Texas to the fur countries. It undoubtedly escapes attention many 

 times, especiall}- in tlie fall, from its close resemblance to the Common 

 tern. The only defmite migration dates are: 



Rockaway, L. I. Oct. 1, 1872: Sept. 3, 1873. N. T. Lawrence. Forest and Stream, 



10: 13. 235 

 Good Ground, L. I. Sept. 7, 1882. Butcher Collection, 190 

 Ram's Head Shoals, L. I. Sept. 17, 1883. " 1353 



Saratoga lake, N. Y. Sept. 11, 1880. Rich, O. & O., 6: 91 

 Steuben co., N. Y. Fall of 1898. (Juvenal). A. H. Wood 



Sterna hirundo Linnaeus 

 Cominoii Tern 



Plate 7 



Sterna hirundo Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. 1:137 



DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 298, fig. 275, 276 

 A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. >Jo. 70 



hirun'do, Lat., swallow 



Description. Breeding plumage: Top of head black; mantle pearl- 

 gray, dee])est on the back; under parts similar but lighter than the mantle; 

 borders of the cap, the throat, rump, under surface of wings, and axillaries 

 white; first four or five primaries blackish, more or less silvered, and the 

 inner webs with a space of white along the inner edge ; lateral tail feathers 

 dusky or pearl-gray on the outer webs, white or nearly so on the inner; bill 

 vennilion red, changing to black at the tip; feet orange-red; iris dark brown. 

 In winter: Similar, but the cap largely white toward the front; under 

 parts white; bill and feet duller. Iininaiure: Similar to winter adult 

 but the upper parts more or less varied with light brown ; forehead grayish 

 white; rump ashy; sm.aller, and the tail shorter; bill yellowish at base, becom- 

 ing blackish at tip; feet dull yellow. 



Length 13-16 inches; extent 29-32; wing 9.75-1 1.75; tail 5-7, forked i 

 (in the young) to 3.5 in breeding birds; bill i. 25-1. 5; depth .t,^; gonj-s .8; 

 tarsus .66-.85; middle toe and claw 1.05. Young: Length 12; Aving 9; 

 tail 4; bill 1. 1 2-1. 15. 



