LARID.E— THE GULLS AND TERNS. 247 



outer feathers into slate. Bill dusky brownish, the base of the mandible paler and more 

 reddish: feet pale yellowish (in the dried skiu). Downy voting: Not distinguishable with 

 certainty from that of 5'. imradisa'a (.'). 



Total length. 13.00-16.00 ill. 50) inches; extent, aO. 00-32. 00 (31.00); wing, 9.7.'i-11.75 (10.50); 

 tail, 5.00-7.00(6.00); depth of its fork, about 3.50 (average) ; oulmon. 1.25-1.50(1.35); depth of 

 btll through base, about .33; tarsus, .66-.87; middle toe, .75. 



The Common Tern is less numerous in the interior than For- 

 ster's Tern {S. forsteri), but along the Atlantic coast is far 

 more so. A few pairs, however, breed about Lake Koshkonong, 

 in southern Wisconsin, and doubtless also in other parts of the 

 Missi.ssippi Valley, but to what extent is very uncertain, owing 

 to the ease with \\liich the species may be mistaken for Forster's 

 Tein. 



Subgenus STERNULA Boie. 



Stemula Boie, Isis, 1822, 563. Type, Sterna minuta Linn. 



SuBGEN. Chab. Smallest of the Terns (wing less than 7.00 ini-hes in the American spe- 

 cies). Tail about half as long as wing, forked tor about half its length. Adults pearl-gray 

 above, white or pale pearl-gray beneath; top of head black, with a broad white "lunule" 

 covering forehead and side of orown. 



Sterna antillarum (Less.) 



LEAST TERN. 

 Fopular synonyms. Little Striker (coast Virginia); Bandpeter (Dry Tortugas). 



Sterna minuta WiLS. Am. Orn. vii. 1813, 80. pi. 70. llg. 2 (not of Linn.).— AUD. Orn. liiog. iv, 



1838, 175, pi. 319;8ynop. 1839.321; B. Am. vi. 1811. 119. 139. 

 Sterna argentea NuTT. Man. ii, 1834.280 (not of Max. 1820). 

 Stemula anlillanim Less. Descr. Mam. et Gis. 1817, 256. 



Sterna antillarum CouEs, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sd. Phila. 18tB. .I.W.— ScL. & Salv. P. Z. 8. 

 1871, 571.— Saunders, P. Z. B. 1876, COl.— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 690; Man. N. 

 Am. B. 1887. 40.-B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. il. 1881, 309.-A. O. U. Check List, 1886, 

 No. 71. 

 Sterna snperciliarU b. antillarum CouES, B. N. W. 1874, 692. 

 Sterna superciliarin antillarum CouES, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 801. 

 Sterna frennta Gavb. Proc. Acad. .\at. Bel. Phila. 1818.128.— Lawb. In Baird's.B. N. Am. 1858, 



864.— Baibd. Cat N. Am. B. 1K9. No. 694. 

 Sterna ii'iperciliariit Gundl. & CauaN. J. f. O. 1857. 232 (not of Vieill.).— CouES. Key, 1872, 

 3S2; Check List, 1873, No. B70. 

 Hab. Temperate and tropical North America In general; south to Trinidad. Both 

 coasls of Central America; north to Massachusetts. Illinois, Minnesota, Dakota, and south- 

 ern California; casually to Labrador. 



8p. Chab. Smallest of the Terns (wing less than seven Inches). Adult, in summer: 

 Plloum and nape deep block, the forehead covere.l by a broad lunule of white cxtondiog 

 back laterally to the eyes, the lores being crossed by a black line or narrow stripe extend- 

 ing from the eye to the lateral base of the maxilla, immediately behind the nostril. Entire 



