147 



breeding season. Instead of remaining about sand bars, however, 

 they prefer the fishermen's stakes out half a mile or more from shore, 

 and it is rarely that they cannot be found at such places during, the 

 summer months. The autumn moult occurs the last of August. 



Genus Xema Leach. 



301. X. sabinei Bonap. FORK-TAILED GULL. Exceedingly rare 

 visitant to Lake Michigan. While collecting on the Lake shore near 

 Chicago, the first of April, 1873, I saw a specimen of this bird in a 

 small pool of water on the beach. At first I supposed it was a Bona- 

 parte gull, and was about passing at, when it arose, and as it passed 

 toward the Lake I saw it was something new to me, and fired. It flew 

 a few rods and fell into the Lake about thirty yards from shore. It 

 was in perfect breeding dress, as was shown by the black markings 

 on the he'ad, each time it was raised while struggling in the water. 

 A gale from off shore soon drifted it from sight. 



Genus Sterna Linn. 



302. S. anglica Mont. GULL-BILLED TERN. An exceedingly rare 

 visitant during summer. 



303. S. caspia Pall. CASPIAN TERN. An irregular but not un- 

 common visitant during the migrations and in winter upon Lake 

 Michigan. The 9th of June, 1876, I saw a fine specimen fishing along 

 the Lake shore, at Waukegan. Its occurrence so late is very unusual. 

 Dr. Bannister has frequently observed it at Evanston in winter. 



304. S. regia Gamb. EOYAL TERN. An exceedingly rare summer 

 _ visitant to Lake Michigan. A specimen was taken at Milwaukee many 



years since and preserved in a museum there (Hoy). 



305. S. hirundo Linn. WILSON'S TERN. Very abundant migrant. 

 From April 28th to May 10th, and the middle of October, are the times 

 of the greatest abundance of this species. A few still breed on small 

 islands at the northern end of the Lake, where they once nested in 

 abundance. I have never observed it here during the breeding sea- 

 son. 



306. S. forsteri Nutt. FORSTER'S TERN. Migrates with the pre- 

 ceding, but in- less abundance. Kather common summer resident in 

 this portion of the state. Breeds in the numerous small, reedy lakes. 

 The young fly about the middle of July. 



On page 679, "Birds of the North-west," Dr. Coues states that "in 

 the "interior" forsteri "almost replaces hirundo, being, in fact, the 

 most characteristic species." This is the case during the breeding 

 season, as hirundo seeks the larger and more open bodies of water, 

 and forsteri prefers the small lakes and reedy streams. During the 



