ONTARIO. 



Eggs, two or three deposited in a hollow in the sand, light brown, tinged 

 with green and blotched with dark brown. 



The Sea Swallow, as this species has often been called, is 

 common to both continents, and has been found breeding as far 

 north as Greenland and Spitzbergen ; its return to its summer 

 haunts is hailed as a sure indication that winter is really gone, 

 and for a time many a quiet bay and inlet is enlivened by its 

 presence. 



" Swift by the window skims the Tern, 



On light and glancing wing, 



And every sound which rises up 



Gives token of the Spring." 



At Hamilton Bay it makes its appearance about the loth of 

 May, and in company with the black-headed Gulls, in merry 

 groups go careering around the shores, or settle on the sand 

 bars to rest and plume their feathers in the sun. By the end of 

 the month they have all gone to the St. Clair marshes or some 

 such place to raise their young ; again paying us a short visit 

 in the Fall on their way South. 



24. STERNA PARADISyEA BRUNN. 71. 

 Arctic Tern. 



Bill, carmine; Feet, vermillion ; plumage, like that of Hirundo, but much 

 darker below, the plumbeous wash so heavy that these parts are scarcely 

 paler than the mantle; crissum, pure white; throat and sides of the neck, 

 white or tinged with gray. In winter, cap defective ; in young the same, 

 upper parts patched with gray, brown or rufus ; under parts paler or white ; 

 a dark bar on the wing; outer webs of several tail feathers, dusky; bill 

 blackish or dusky red with yellow on the under mandible ; feet, dull orange, 

 smaller than hirundo, but tail much longer, Length, 14-17 ; wing, 10-12 ; 

 tail 5-8; bill, 1.20-1.40. 



HAB. Northern hemisphere ; in North America breeding from Massa- 

 chussetts to the Arctic Regions, and wintering southward to Virginia and 

 California. 



Eggs 2 to 3 ; laid on the bare rock ; drab, spotted and dashed with brown 

 of different shades. 



For several reasons the Terns which visit Ontario are less 

 known than birds belonging to other classes ; they are not 

 sought after by sportsmen, and at present the number of collect- 



43 



