1912 J Rhoads, Ornithological Publications of C. S. Rafinesque. 197 



black claws. Head, neck, and belly of a snowy white, back and 

 wings of a pale ash color; but the quills of the wings are white, 

 with a black tip, and the external quill is edged with black, which 

 gives to the whole wing the appearance of having a black edge. 

 The tail is white, and obtuse. 



The known species to which it resembles most, is the grey gull, 

 {Larus canus) which is found in the United States, and even on 

 our large lakes; but it differs from ours by being much larger, 

 having a yellow bill, greenish feet, several black quills in the wings 

 with white spots &c. 



It was shot in January 1821, on a pond near Harrodsburg by 

 Mr. Sutton, and the specimen is in the possession of Doctor Graham 

 of the same town. 



The tern or Sea-Swallow may be called the black-headed Tern; 

 I have given it the scientific name of Sterna melanops, which 

 implies the same thing. 



This Tern was nine inches long from the tip of the bill to the 

 end of the tail, and the dimension of the extended wings was 21 

 inches. It was of an ash color above, and white beneath with 

 the head, neck and feet blackish. The bill was of a lead color, 

 one inch long, compressed and sharp. The feet had three half- 

 webbed toes, and none behind. The tail was long and forked, 

 white beneath. 



This bird is totally different from all the known Terns, and 

 might even perhaps be considered as a new genus, by its long, 

 compressed bill, toes only half-webbed, and want of a hind toe, 

 to which the name of Chlidonias melanops might be applied. 



It was shot in June 1821, near Harrodsburg, and was preserved 

 by Dr. Graham, in whose possession I saw it. 



C. S. Rafinesque." 



I have consulted with Mr. Witmer Stone, regarding the status 

 of the new species and new genus above described by Rafinesque. 

 We are agreed that Larus marginatus Raf. was a Bonaparte's 

 Gull, Larus Philadelphia (Ord) in winter plumage. It is a syn- 

 onym of Ord's species, the latter being named in Guthrie's Geog- 

 raphy, 2nd Amer. edition, vol. 2, in 1815. Sterna melanops 

 Raf. is readily recognized to be a Black Tern in winter or autumn 



