62 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



Subfamily STERNIN^^. Terns. 

 Genus GELOCHELIDON Brehm. 



QELOCHELIDON NILOTICA {Hasselq^. 

 Gull=billed Tern. 



,ldiilt ill siiiiiincr : Top of head and nape black; 

 upper part, including* rump and tail, pearl gray ; 

 under parts white ; bill and feet black, the former 

 comparatively short and stout. 



Adult in winter : Similar, but having the head 

 and neck white, the nape ashy, and a dusky patch 

 in front of the eye. 



Length, 14; Wing, 12; Tail, 5.50; liill, 1.40; 

 Tarsus, 1.30. 



/ A most widely distributed cosmopoli- 



tan species. It is common in Florida 

 and probablv breeds in tbe State. It occurs commonly on the middle Atlan- 

 tic coast in summer where it breeds, and occasionally wandering as far north 

 as Maine. The eggs are usually three in number, pale brownish white, 

 faintly mottled with brown, deposited in a slight depression in the sand. 



Genus STERNA Linn. 



STERNA T5CHEQRAVA Lepech. 

 Caspian Tern. 



Adult in spring: Bill deep 

 red ; top of the head black, rest 

 of upper parts pearl gray: pri= 

 maries dark slate color on 



inner webs, hoary on outer webs ; 

 tail grayish white ; feet black. 

 Adult in winter : Top of the head streaked 

 witli black : tail showing brownish bars. 



Length, 21; Wing, 16; Tail, 6.10: Bill, 

 2.60: Tarsus, 1.50. 



According to Mr. Scott, the Caspian Tern 

 occurs in Florida.* I liave never met with it in 

 the State ; it is known to breed on the \irginia 

 coast, and probably is a regular summer \isitant 

 to Florida. 



* Since ilie above was written, 'a bird of this species was killed in Martli near llie liead of the lianana River by Mr. T. Watson 

 Merrill,!nf|Boston. 



