f54 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 



among the family. In stormy weather they appear to be unable to stand 

 the buffeting of the gale and often are obliged to alight on the land 

 where resting with their heads facing the winds they await the coming 

 of more agreeable weather. They may be considered rather more a 

 bird of the interior than of the sea coast. Vast numbers of them are 

 found about the lakes of the Mississippi Valley, while most of the other 

 varieties of terns spend the greater part of their lives around the salt 

 water, some of them even venturing to a great distance upon the ocean. 



Photo by Wm. H. Fisher. 



EGGS OF LEAST TERN. 



They reach the northern limits of their range during the first part of 

 May and leave again early in Sept. They migrate either in pairs or 

 small flocks, generally at a great elevation, and either by day or night. 

 They are sociable among themselves and not generally timid. They 

 will probably never again be as abundant as formerly before the ladies 

 conceived the unfortunate idea of using them as hat adornments. 



