478 STERNA MACROURA. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Egg*, placed on the ground in sandy places, three or four in number, oval in form, varying from nearly pure white, 

 through green, to deep-brown in color, spotted and blotcbed irregularly with brown, umber, and lilac of varying shades. 

 Dimensions from l'05x 1-40 to 1 -25 x 1-80. 



HABITS. 



Forster's Tern is very common in Florida in winter, frequenting the inland waters as 

 well as the coast. They are then in the dress which was formerly known as Ilavell's Tern, 

 but they moult in April, assuming the black head of the summer plumage. In spring, they 

 gather on the, sand-bars of Indian River, in great numbers, in company with other mem- 

 bers of the genus. The notes have some resemblance to those of the preceding species, but 

 are easily recognized, being somewhat harsher. Forster's Terns breed' on the Great Lakes 

 of the interior but are occasionally found on the New England coast in autumn. 



STERNA MACROURA. 



Arctic Tern. 



Sterna macroura NAUH., Isis. 1819. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



SP. On. Form, rather slender. Size, medium. Bill, slender. Bottom of feet, roughened. COLOR. Adult. Rath- 

 er dark ashy-blue throughout, becoming lighter on throat. Under portion of wings, rump, and tail, white, the last har- 

 ing some of the outer webs dusky. Primaries, dusky, white on two thirds of inner webs. Top of head to lower eyelid and 

 occiput, black. Iris, brown, bill and feet, coral-red. In winter, the anterior portion of head becomes- more or less white. 

 Young. Similar to winter adult but with shoulders dusky, back obscurely banded with dusky and reddish, and white be- 

 neath. Bill, black, and feet, yellow. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



The young with the white forehead and dusky shoulders which were hatched late and which apparently failed to moult 

 the following spring have been described as Sterna Portlandica. Known in the adult stage by the medium size and slender 

 red bill and the young, by the abruptly white rump, short tarsus and roughened feet. Distributed, in summer, from Vir- 

 ginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Winters south of the United States. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, 14'25; stretch, 27'95; wing, 10 - 88; tail, 6'85; bill, 1'30; tarsus, "65. 

 Longest specimen, 1700; greatest extent of wing, 32* 15; longest wing, 1V75; tail, 8'30, bill, l'3fi; tarsus, '71. Shortest 

 specimen, 11-50; smallest extent of wing, 23'75; shortest wing, lO'OO; tail, 6'00; bill, 1'25; tarsus, '60. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Eggs, placed on the ground in sandy places, three or four in number, oval in form, varying from nearly pure white to 

 deep brown in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown, umber, and lilac of varying shades. Dimensions from 

 l-05x 1-40 to 1-25x1-80. 



HABITS. 



I think the name, Arctic Tern, has been misapplied to the present species, for as far 

 as my observations extend, it is not nearly as northern in distribution, at least on our side 

 of the Atlantic, as the Common Tern. Thus, I found these birds rare on the Magdalens, 

 where the others were abundant, and collections that I have examined, from Labrador and 

 northward, contained nothing but Common, although almost invariably labeled as Arctic. 

 The Arctic Terns breed along the coast of New England, almost always placing the eggs 

 on the naked sand, and appear especially fond of sand-bars that are entirely destitute of 

 vegetation. In habits and time of breeding, they closely resemble the Common Tern, and 

 the notes of the two species are nearly alike. 



STERNA DOTJGALLI. 



Roseate Tern. 

 Sterna Dougal/i MONT., Orn. Diet. Sup., 1813. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, slender. She, medium. Bill, long and slender. COLOR. Aduh. Above, pale ashy-blue, lightest 

 on neck and tail. Outer tail feathers!, white. Primaries, dasky on outer webs and on inner next the shaft. Beneath. 



