If 



5* i 



288 



LONG-AVINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



anteriorly in a point nenr tlie end of the feather. Rest of the plumage, inclniling nape, pure white, 

 the lower parts tinged with delicate rose-pink in fresh specimens. Bill red (yellowish or orange in 

 dried skins) ; iris brown ; legs and feet black. Adult, in winter : Similar, but forehead and lores 

 white ; crown white, spotted with dusky ; occipital crest and side of head to in front of the eyes, 

 deep black. Young (first jilununji) : Pileum dull brownish black, nearly uniform on the occiput, 

 where the feathers are not elongated, butshort and blended ; whole crown streaked with white ; fmc- 



head and lores white, lindy 

 streaked with black. Nape, 

 upper tail-coverts, and lowir 

 parts, white, the lower pari cf 

 the first witii sparse roundish 

 spot.s ; back, scapulars, and win;,'- 

 coverts dirty whitish, coarsely 

 and irregularly spotted with 

 dusky brown, this color almost 

 uniform near the anterior portion 

 of the lesser wing-covert region, 

 the anterior border of which is 

 white ; secondaries dusky, bor- 

 dered terminally with white ; 

 primaries hoary slate, with a 

 narrow terminal border of wliitc, 

 the inner webs mostly white, 

 with a broad dusky stripe next the sliaft. Tail-feathers brownish slate, becoming grayish 

 basally, the ends conspicuously bordered with white. Bill reddisli ; feet dusky. 



Wing, 12.40-12.50 inches ; tail, 6.()O-7.30, the depth of its fork, 2.G0-3.50 ; culmen, 2.25-2.55 ; 

 depth of bill through base, .45-.50 ; tarsus, 1.05-1.25 ; middle toe, .80-.86. 



This species has only a limited claim to a place in the fauna of North Amerina. 

 It is a Mexican and Central American species, and occurs on the coast of California 

 only occasionally, irregularly, and very rarely. It was procured on the Pacific coast 

 of Mexico by Dr. Gambel, and was particularly common near Mazatlan. Dr. Cooper 

 could procure no evidence that this species over occurs so far north as San Diego, in 

 California. Mr. Salvin obtained, at San Salvador, in Central America, a specimen of 

 this Tern, which he regarded as being absolutely identical with the typical S. elegans 

 from the Gulf of California. It was taken in December, 18G2. 



A specinuMi of the egg of this Tern — obtained at Guaymas, west of Sonora, 

 Mexico, by Captain Stone (Smithsonian Institution, No. 579) — measures 2.20 inches 

 in length by 1.45 in breadth. It has a ground-color of white Avith a pinkish tinge. 

 Its markings are quite bold and distinct, and are of a deep black and burnt sienna 

 color, with subdued shell-markings of lavender-gray. 



Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida. 



CABOT'S TEBN. 



sterna cantiaca, Aun. Orn. Biog. III. 1835, 531, pi. 279 (not of Gmkl. 1788) ; Synop. 1839, 317 ; H. 



Am. VII. 1844, 87, pi. 431. — CoUEs, Key, 1872, 320 j Check List, 1873, no. 564 j 2d ed. 188J, 



no. 796. 

 Sterna (Thalassens) cantiaca, CouES, B. N. W. 1874, 673. 



Sterna Boysii, Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 276 (not of Lath. 1790, = canltacc , Gmei,.). 

 Sterna acuflavida, C'adot, Pr. Boston See. II. 1847, 257. — Lawk, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 8ti0. 



— Baiuo, Cat. N. Am. B. 18.")!>, no. 685. 

 Thalasxcus acufluvidus, t'oiiF.s, Pr. I'hiliul. Acad. 1862, 540 (critical). 

 Stcnui cantiaca acuflavida, KiDow. Noni. N. Am, B. 1881, no. 683. 



