LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS 



74. LEAST TERN. Sterna antillarum. 



Range. From northern South America to 

 southern New England, Dakota and California, 

 breeding locally throughout its range. 



These little Sea Swallows are the smallest of 

 the Terns, being but 9 inches in length. They 

 have a yellow bill with a black tip, a black crown 

 and nape, and white forehead. Although small, 

 these little Terns lose none of the grace and beau- 

 ty of action of their larger relatives. They nest 





Least Tern 



Sooty Tern 



Light buff 



in colonies on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, 

 placing their eggs upon the bare sand, where they 

 are sometimes very difficult to see among the 

 shells and pebbles. They are of a grayish or 

 buffy color spotted with umber and lilac. They 

 number two, three and rarely four, and are laid 

 in May and June. Size 1.25 x .95. Data. DeSota 

 Beach, Fla., May 20, 1884. Three eggs laid on 

 the sandy beach. Collector, Chas. Graham. 



75. SOOTY TERN. Sterna fuscata. 



Range. Tropical America, north to the South 

 Atlantic States. This species measures 17 inches 

 in length; it has a brownish black mantle, wings 

 and tail, except the outer feathers of the latter which are white; the forehead 

 and under parts are white, the crown and a line from the eye to the bill, black. 



This tropical species is very numerous at 



its breeding grounds on the small islands 



of the Florida Keys and the West Indies. 



They lay but a single egg, generally plac- 



ing it on the bare ground, or occasionally 



building a frail nest of grasses. The egg 



has a pinkish white or creamy ground 



and is beautifully sprinkled with spots of 



reddish brown and lilac. They are laid 



during May. Size 2.05 x 1.45. Data. 



Clutheria Key, Bahamas, May 28, 1891. 



Single egg laid on bare ground near water. 



Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



/" ^ 



* 



\x 



Creamy white 



55 



