CASPIAN TEKN. 476 



HABITS. 



Terns! What a multitude of pleasant memories is conjured up at the sight of this short 

 word, for these graceful birds have always been special favorites of mine and I have spent 

 many delightful hours along our shores, studying their habits. The Marsh Tern is far from 

 bring very common anywhere, for although I have shot it in Massachusetts and Florida, 

 it is rare in both States. It breeds, however, in the intermediate districts, nesting on the 

 islands oil the coast of Virginia, late in June, depositing the eggs on sand hills. The 

 flight of this Torn is rather heavy and its cries are harsh, but it does not differ essentially 

 in habit from many other members of the genus. 



STERNA CASPIA. 



Caspian Tern. 

 Sterna cag/iia PALL., Nov. Com. Petr. ; 1770, 582. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cu. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, stout. COLOR. Adult. Above, pule bluish-ash with primaries dark-slaty 

 on inner webs. Tail and coverts ashy-white. Top of head and occiput, black, glossed with greenish. Beneath, white. 

 Bill, red, iris, brown, and feet, black. In winter, and Youny. Similar but paler, and the top of head is more or less white. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known by the large size, ashy-gray inner webs of primaries, and red bill. Distributed, in summer, along our entire 

 coast; winters from Massachusetts southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 21*50; stretch, 50*50; wing, 16*3D;taiI, 5*60; bill, 

 2 (tf; tarsus, 1'63. Longest specimen, 22*00; greatest extent ofwing, 51*00; longest wing, 10*75; tail. 6'(X); bill, 2 75; tarsus, 

 1 75. Shortest specimen, 21-03; smallest extent of wing, SO'OO; shortest wing, 16'00; tail, 5-00; bill, 2*50; tarsus, 1-50. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



K/ys, placed on the ground, three or four in number, oval in form, and varying from whito to gresnish-buff in color, 

 spotted and blotched with brown and lilac of varying shades. Dimensions from 1*85 x 2*70 to 1-90x2-75. 



HABITS. 



The large and handsome Caspian Tern is, perhaps, the least agile on the wing of any 

 of the genus, moving in a similar manner to that of some of the smaller Gulls, but in hab- 

 its it closely resembles its other relatives and the note is extremely harsh. Former, the 

 Caspian Tern was supposed to breed only in the North but recently it has been found nest- 

 ing, though not in any numbers, on the islands off the coast of Virginia and further south 

 It is possible that this bird occurs in Florida in summer but I have never mot with speci- 

 mens there, although I have killed many of the succeeding species, which they closely re- 

 semble, in the State. 



STERNA REGIA. 



Royal Tern. 

 Sterna regia GAHB., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil., 1848, 228. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, stout. COLOR. Adult. Pale bluish-ash above, with primaries darker on 

 outer webs and on a narrow line next the shaft of inner, the remainder of which being white. Tail and coverts, ashy- white. 

 Top of head ami ooriput, black, glossed with greenish White beneath, tinged with rosy. Iris, brown, feet, black, bill, 

 ri'd. Winter adult and Youny. Similar but paler, the primaries are overwashed with hoary, and the crown is partly white. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



K::-iiy j r,'i,i'iii/j 1 liy the large size, red bill, and nearly white inner webs to primaries. Distributed, in summer, from 

 New Jersey, southward. Winters in Florida. Rare as far north :LS Massachusetts. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Florida. Length, 19'88; stretch, 43*50; wing, 14-00; tail, fi'12; hill, 2'58; 

 tarsus, 1-30. Longest specimen, -JO'50; greatest extent of win:;, II 50; longest wing, 14*50; tail, 7'(H); bill, 2*90; tarsus, 1*40. 

 Shortest sjitriiiien, l'J'*25; smullust extent of wing, 4*J*50; shortest wiug, 13*50; tail, 5*25* bill. 2*25- tarsus 1*20 



