BIRDS OF KANSAS. 35 



Audubon found them breeding in Labrador, but I think they 

 are rarely to be met with north of latitude 45. On my north- 

 era cruise I failed to find the birds north of Brier Island, Nova 

 Scotia, and only noticed a single pair there. They are abund- 

 ant south, along the coast of Florida, and I have often met with 

 them on the coast of Lower California, and at San Diego; and 

 have found them breeding on the Gulf coast, the salt plains of 

 the Indian Territory, and a few on the Cimarron River, in Kan- 

 sas. Their nest is a mere depression or place worked out to fit 

 the body in the sand, on the islands and banks of the streams. 

 Eggs two to four rarely ever more than three 1.15x.90; 

 buff to cream white, speckled and spotted, in some cases blotched 

 about the larger end with brown umber and lilac; in form, rather 

 oval to ovate. 



GENUS HYDROCHELIDON BOIE. 



"Similar to the smaller species of Sterna, but tail only very slightly forked 

 or emarginate, the rectrices not attenuated at ends, and the webs of the toes fill- 

 ing less than half the interdigital spaces. Adults gray or blackish beneath, as 

 dark as or darker than the color of the upper surface." 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis (GMEL.). 



BLACK TERN. 

 PLATE II. 



Summer resident; rare; in migration, common. Arrive the 

 last of April to first of May; beginning to lay about the middle 

 of May. 



B. 695. R. 693. C. 806. G. 316, 14. U. 77. 



HABITAT. Temperate North America, south in winter to mid- 

 dle South America; breeding from the middle United States 

 northward. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult, in summer: Head, neck 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 border of the wing, 

 from the shoulders to the carpo-metacarpal joint, white. Lining of the wing 

 light plumbeous gray. Bill deep black, the rictus lake red, the interior of the 

 mouth pinkish; iris dark brown; legs and feet purplish dusky. Adult, in win- 

 ter: Head, neck and lower parts pure white; orbital and auricular regions 

 dusky; crown and occiput dark grayish, the feathers bordered with paler. Up- 

 per parts as in the summer plumage, but rather paler plumbeous. Young, first 

 plumage: Very similar to the wiuter plumage, but scapulars, interscapulars, and 



