LAHIKJ:— THE GULLS AND TERNS. 239 



SUma risoria Bbehm. Lehrb. 1S23. 083; Beltr. Ill, 650. 



? Sterna macrotar.ia Gould. Proe. Zool. 8oe. Lond. pt v, 1837, 28; B. Austr. Suppl. 



Sterna affln\s HoBBP. Iflde JihkS.). 



Oelochelidnn palustris Macgil. llfin. II, 1812. 237. 



Gelochelidon balthica, ngraria, meridionalis Bbehm, Vog. Deutsehl. 1831, 772, 773, 774. 



Hab. Nearlv cosmopolitan, but In North Amerloaoon'Ined to the Eastern Province. and 

 rare away from the coast; the greater part of tropical America, south to Brazil; bothcoasta 

 of Central America; Bermuda? 



8p. C>tab. /duU. in summer: Piloum and nape deep black; upperparts, inclndingthe 

 rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, delicate pale pearl-crny, the primaiies more hoary, nnd 

 usually darker; inner webs of primaries ash-gray, with a broad vhite space from (he edge 

 more than half way to the shaft, but not extending to the en Is of the quills. Rest of the 

 pluraase pure white. P.ill wholly deep bla^k; interior of mouth flesli-color; iris dark 

 brown; legs and feet dark walnut- brown, the soles pale pinkish brown; claws black. Adult, 

 inwinier: Similar, but whole head and neck white, the nape tinged with grayish, the 

 auriculars darker frayish. as is also a crescontio space imra' diately in front of the eyps. 

 Tniwg. first pltimnoe; Above, pale pearl-gray, the feathers more or less tipped with 

 light clay-color, this sometimes almost uniform o>er the hack and scapulars, where the 

 feathers are bluish only Vieneath the su face; a blackish cresoentic spot immed'ately in 

 front of the i>ye, and a dusky grayi~h suffusion on the auriculars, forming a more or less 

 distinct posto ular stripe. Lower parts entirely pure white. Bump, upper tail-coverts, 

 tail, and wing-coverts nearly uniform pale pearl-gray; remiges deeper silvery grav, the 

 secondaries nnd inner primaries lipped with white; rocirlces darker subterminally, and 

 tipped w'th white or pale oehraceous-buff. Pileum, back, and scapulars sometimes 

 streaked with dusky, oftener immaculate. Bi 1 dusky brownish, the mandible dull orange- 

 brown, except terminally: legs and feet varying from dull reddish brown to dusky brown, 

 the soles more reddish. Doicny ynung: Abov'', light grayish buff, with several lai go and 

 to'erably well-deflned dusky spots on the hind half of the head, most distinct on the latero- 

 ocoipital region; a distinct longitudinal stripe of dusky down each side of the lower nape 

 and upper back; wings, rump, and flanks, with large, ralher dis',in;t, spots of dusky. 

 Lower parts white, the sides of iho thro.it faintly tinged with grayish. Bill dull brownish, 

 the mandib'e more oiange; legs and feet dull brownish oiange. 



Total length, about 13.00 to \->.T> inches; extent, 33.00 to 37.50; wing. 11.75-12.25; tail, 5.50; 

 depth of fork, 1.5U-1. 75; culmen, 1.40; depth of bill thiough base. .45: tarsus, 1.30; middle 

 too, witheluw. 1.10. 



The Gull-billed Tern breeds abundantly filong: the Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, especially on the islands off shore, 

 which it inhabits in company with the Common Tern (S. 

 luruiuh), Forster's Tern {S. forsterl), the Least Tern (<S'. 

 antiUarmib) , the Black Skimmer {Ryncli/>pii: nigra), and thi; Black- 

 headed Gull {LanMn atricUla), in some localities outnumbering; 

 any of the before-mentioned species. In those localities which I 

 have visited its nest was usually placed on the dry sand, just 

 beyond reach of the surf, but not unfrcquently at a considerable 

 distance from the shore. It is very bold in defence of its ofrss 

 or younjr, daitin<:; down at an intruder with such impetuosity 

 B/S almost to stiike him, scoldiiif? all the while with a harsh 

 chattering note, which may be compared to a discordant laugh. 



