I,AIMl).i:~TlIE GULLS AND TERNS. 249 



Only one species of this o-emis belongs properly to North 

 America, altliough a single si)ecinien of a European species was 

 taken at Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin, by the late Professor 

 Thure Kunilien, July 5, 187;{. 



The conunon North American bird has been g-enerally referred 

 to the European //. niijnt (Llvn.), but is so different that little. 

 if any, hnrm would be done by considering it a distinct species.* 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis ((Jmel.) 



BLACK TERN, 

 Popular synonyms. Amei ican lilaek Torn; Short-tailed Ti-ni: Golondi ina iio. mar (Mexico). 



Sterna surinamensis Umel. S. N. i. pt ii. 1788, COl. 



Hydrochelidon surinamensis Bonap. Compt. Rend. 185U, 77:). 



Hydrochelidon lariformis surinamensis Kidgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 693. 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis Stejn. Proe. U. 8. Nat. Mus. Vol. 5, 1882, 40.— B. B. 

 & K. Water B. N. Am. ii, 18SI, :}18.— A. 0. C. Check List, 188C, No. 7?.— Bidgw. Man. N. 

 Am. B. 1887. 47 

 Sterna pbimhea WlLS. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, S3, pi. 83 (young). 



Hydrochelidon iilaii.hea'LLWVL. in Baird'8 B. N. Am. 1858, 864.— Baikd, Cat. N. Am. B. 

 1859, No. 695. 

 Sterna ni»ra Sw.& Rich. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 415 (noc Linn.).— NuTT. Man. ii, 1834. 282.— Ano. 

 Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 593; v, 1839, 0(2. pi. 180; Synop. 1839, 320; B. Am. vii, 1844. 116, pi. 438. 



Hydrochelidon nigra (part) Saunders, P. Z. S. 1873, 642. 

 Hydrochelidon lissipes (part) CouES, Proi;. Acad. Nat Sci. Pliila. 1862,554 (nee Sterna 



fisslpes Linn.): Key, 1872. 323; Clieck List, 1S7:!, No. 575. 

 Hydrochelidon /ari/ormi.t (part) CouES, B. N. W. 1874, 701 (nee A'aiVK.-,- (nr//'oc»nis Linn.): 

 2d Check List, 1882, No. 806.— Riugw. Orn. 40t'h Par. 1877, «fO. 



Had. The whole of temperate North America, and portions of tropical America: north 

 to Alaska, south to Chili: breeds nearly throuRhoutitsNorth American range, except along 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



8i'. Chai". Adult, in summer: Head, nook, and lower parts sooty black, the head and 

 neck, especially above, nearly pure black: anal region and crissum pure white. Entire 

 upper parts uniform plumbeous, the bordor of the wing, from the shoulders to the carpo- 

 mota'^arpal joint, white. I,ining of the wing light plumbeous-gray. Bill deep black, the 

 rictus lake-red, the interior of the mouth pinkish; iris dark brown; logs and feet purplish 

 dusky. Adult, in winter: Head, neck, and lower parts pure white; orbital and auricular 

 regions dusky ; crown and occiput dark grayish, the feathers bordered with paler. Upper 

 parts as In thesummerplumagi:, but rather paler plumbeous. Young. Hrst plumage: Very 

 similar to the winter plumage, but sapulars. Interscapulars, and tertials tipped with raw 

 umber brown, the anterior lesser wing eovorts dusky, the crown, occiput and upper part 

 of the nape dusky, and the entire sides washed with plumbeous. Downy youug: Above, 

 deep, soft umber-brown, with a few coarse, Irregular marblings of black: forehead, crown, 

 throat, and chest more sooty brown, without miirkings; sides of the head (including lores) 

 dull whitish; abdomen white centrally, pale sooty grayish exteriorly.) 



• See Water Birds of North America; vol. ii, p. 320. 



1 From No. 77,561, Cold Springs, Cal., July 27, isr77; H. W. Hknshaw. collector. 



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