g THE BIRDS OF MONTREAL. 



in the St. Lawrence river above Nun's Island, which 

 probably belonged to this species ; but the place has 

 become too public for them to breed there now. 



Genus Hydrochelidon. Boie. 



18. American Black Tern. H. nigra surinamensis. 



(Gmel.) 



" Transient Visitant," scarce. This tern may 

 breed on the boggy marshes of our lakes. The 

 terns are such swift-flying birds that there is not 

 much chance of observing them closely. Solitary 

 birds of this species occasionally are seen skimming 

 out over the water along the shores of our lakes 

 and rivers, by sportsmen when out duck-shooting, 

 in the autumn. Mr. James Currie, of Montreal, says 

 this tern breeds in large numbers regularly every 

 year, in June and July, in a marsh at the head of 

 Lake St. Francis, near Summerstown, Ontario. He 

 kindly had photographs of the marsh and locality 

 taken for me, and these show the marsh to be a 

 considerable distance out from the main shore. Mr. 

 Currie visited the marsh August 19, 1893. but the 

 terns had left it at that date. He visited the marsh 

 again on the 2nd of July, 1894, and found the terns 

 breeding there, and kindly shot two adult speci- 

 mens for me, which, when dissected, proved to be 

 two females. No eggs were found, so I presume 

 the young were fledged at this date. 



