64 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



77 Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis (Gmelin). 

 Black Tern. 



Adults, Length, 9-10. Wing, 8.25. Back, wings and tail, slate color ; rest 

 of plumage, black ; bill and feet, black ; shafts of primaries, white. 



In autumn. Forehead, white ; top of head and neck dusky, edged with 

 white ; black in front and behind the eye ; rest of upper parts, dark gray ; 

 under parts, white ; gray on sides of breast. 



Young in first autumn. Similar, but edged with brownish above. 



An irregular migrant on the coast during late summer and autumn, 

 sometimes very abundant. Occasional on the large rivers. 



Wilson received his first specimen of this supposedly new species of 

 Tern from Mr. Beesley, of Great Egg Harbor. Soon after, on the 6th of 

 September, 1812, he tells us "after a violent northeast storm, numerous 

 flocks of this Tern appeared on the Schuylkill meadows. Some hun- 

 dreds of them might be seen at the same time." Mr. Scott observed 

 them at Long Beach in 1877, the first one arriving on June llth. In 

 a few days they became very common, and remained all summer in 

 large numbers, being still present September 1st. Many were im- 

 mature, and only one in ten was in the black plumage. All were 

 moulting. 1 



Mr. Rhoads found them plentiful at Beach Haven September 8th 

 to 12th, 1881, 2 and Mr. D. N". McCadden 3 reported them at Stone 

 Harbor in flocks of fifty August 4th to 18th, 1899, feeding like swal- 

 lows over the meadows. Dr. Braislin observed them 4 commonly 

 opposite Forked River August 22d to 25th, 1908. 



Mr. W. D. Miller 5 reports the unusual abundance of the Black Tern 

 from early August to the end of September, 1906, about the Newark 

 marshes, etc., where they were last seen October 6th. One was seen on 

 the Delaware, opposite Philadelphia, on October 20th of the same 

 year by Mr. R. F. Miller, and on September 5th, 1907, a flock was 

 observed above the city and several secured by Mr. R. C. Harlow. 6 



1 Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 1879, p. 227. 



2 Colin. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. 



3 Abst. Proc. Del. Valley Orn. Club, IV., p. 5. 



4 Cassinia, 1908, p. 42. 



5 Bird Lore, 1906, p. 211. 



6 Cassinia, 1907, p. 85. 



