556 THE CASPIAN TERN. 



Jersey, and wandering casually to Long Island and Massachusets ; in winter both 

 coasts of Mexico and Central America and south to Brazil. 



Range in Ohio. "Rare visitor in the vicinity of Cleveland" (Wheaton, fide 

 Winslow). 



\YHILE there are no positive records of the occurrence of this species 

 within the limits of our state beyond the reported statement of a gentleman in 

 Cleveland, who in the early clays had unusual success in discovering rare 

 species, this word together with the knowledge of its recent breeding on the 

 St. Clair Flats, in Ontario, would seem to entitle the bird to a place in our 

 avifauna. 



The Gull-billed Tern enjoys the distinction of being the most nearly 

 cosmopolitan of its race, being reported indifferently from Denmark, Pata- 

 gonia, and Australia. It must be a welcome visitor everywhere, because in 

 addition to its strong, graceful flight, always pleasing to the eye, it has set 

 for itself the task of ridding the seacoasts and lowland marshes of insect 

 pests. It is believed rarely to eat fish, which is the common diet of Tern 

 folk. Audubon reported that, in all the stomachs he ever examined, he 

 never found anything but insects; while Wilson tells of one bird which had 

 crammed its stomach full of black spiders, which it had obtained in the 

 marshes about Cape May. 



No. 267. 



CASPIAN TERN. 



A. O. U. Xo. 64. Sterna caspia Pallas. 



Description. Adult in spring : Top of head and nape uniform lustrous 

 black : upper parts pearl-gray, whitening somewhat on rump and posteriorly ; 

 wing-quills not especially different, the silvery gray nearly concealing dusky on 

 exposed portions : inner webs plain grayish dusky ; tail slightly forked for about 

 one-fifth of its length, folded wings considerably exceeding ; remaining plumage 

 white ; bill very stout, the depth at base being nearly equal to one-third the 

 length of culmen, bright coral-red slightly tinged with dusky at tip; feet and 

 legs black. Adult after the breeding season and in winter: Similar, but black 

 of crown speckled or streaked with dull w r hite. Young : Black cap of adult 

 represented by spotting on top of head (on grayish white ground), increasing 

 in density until nearly uniform on hind head ; above dull pearl gray, sparingly 

 spotted or barred with brownish dusky ; primaries darker than in adult : tail pearl- 

 gray with dusky subterminal spots, or indistinct barring ; remaining plumage 

 white, bill orange-red; feet brownish black. Length 20.00-23.00 (508-584.2); 

 wing 16.25 (412.8); tail 5.00-6.50 (127. -165. i) ; bill 2.75 (69.9); depth of bill 

 at base .80-. 95 (20.3-24.1) ; tarsus 1.80 (45.7). 



