of the United States. 355 



Adult, both in summer and winter, crown black. 



Young as the preceding. 



Arctic Tern, Sterna arctica, Nob. Am. Orn. iv. pi. Sterna 

 argent at a, Brehm. 



Inhabits the north of both continents : not rare in autumn 

 on the coasts of New-Jersey. 



288. Sterna minuta, L. Bill long, slender, orange, black at 

 tip; crown black ; front white ; quill shafts black ; tail great- 

 ly forked ; tarsus half an inch long ; webs entire. 



Young somewhat dingy and spotted; black of the head 

 obsolete. 



Lesser Tern, Sterna minuta, Wils. Am. Orn. vii. p. so. 

 pi. CO. Jig. 2. 



Inhabits the north of both continents, extending widely • 

 common during summer on the coasts of the northern and 

 middle states, where it breeds. Closely resembling Sterna 

 argentea, P. Max. Neuv. from which our phrase distin- 

 guishes it. 



** Black, or blackish. 

 289. Sterna nigra, L. Bill slender, black ; tail slightly 

 forked ; tarsus five eighths of an inch ; webs deeply indented. 



Summer plumage, wholly blackish-cinereous : winter, 

 plumbeous, head and neck deep black; front, throat and 

 vent, white. 



Young white ; hind head blackish ; back, wings and tail, 

 brownish, skirted with dingy-whitish. 



Short-tailed Tern, Sterna plvmbea, Wils. Am Orn. vii. 

 p. 83. pi. 6o» Jig» 3- young ; and, Black Tern, Sterna nigra, 

 Nob. Am. Orn. iv. pi. adult. 



Inhabits both continents : common during autumn on the 

 coasts of New-Jersey. 



290. Sterna fuliginosa, Gm. Bill black ; front, exterior 

 edge of the outer tail feathers and all beneath, white ; tail 

 deeply forked ; webs entire. 



