^1 



300 



long-wingi:d swimmers — longipennes. 



pure white ; oiiti'V wcli of latoral jiair of tail-ft-'athers deep ash-gniy, <larkir turniiiially, in stmn" 

 and alirupt contrast with tlie pure white of the inner web ; outer web of next feather jiale peail- 

 {•niy. Outer welj of outer primary dark slate ; inner welis of all the (piills chiefly white, with a 

 narrow Hlripe of silvery gray next the shaft ; this stripe j,'radually widening on the inner leatlui-, 

 where, near the end of each (piill, it runs anteriorly near the inner edge ; tliree or four innci' ipiiJlN 

 uniform silvery gray, the inner web edged witli white. Bill and feet deep carmine-red in Ijfr, iln; 

 former usually without a black tip ; iris brown. Ailult, in xvinUr : Similar, but forehead, antcrioi 

 part of the lores, and crown white, the latter streaked with black ; lower parts white, SDiMctinic-, 

 with a slight v;ash of plumbeous. Bill and feet dulliT red. Ymtwj, first i,lHmwji: : Orbital rcgidn. 

 occiput, anil posterior part of the crown dull black ; f "-"bead and anterior ]iortion of lores and 

 crown white, the crown mixed with blackish and stains, with brownish. Back, scapulars, aud 

 wings pearl-gray, as in the adult, but feathers tipped with pale buff, and marked with a suli- 

 terminal lunule of dusky brown, these markings most distinct on the tertials ami longer scapulars, 

 fainter on the back ; primaries and secondaries nnich ;•< in the adult ; lower part of rump, uii]ier 

 tail-coverts, and entire hnver parts white, the sides of the jugulum and breast, as well as the chin 

 and throat, stained with pale dull brownish. Outer webs of rectrices slate-color, paler on middh- 

 feathei-s ; all the rectrices marked at the ends in the same manner as the tertials, but less dis- 

 tinctly. Basal half of bill orange-red, terminal half blackish ; feet ])ale n-ddish. Dnirny ij,,ii,iii : 

 Upper surface jiale fulvous or grayish buff (the shade very variable), cnarsely and veiy inci.'idarly 

 marbled with dusky, e.xcept on the forehead ; lower parts whitish, distinctly IniH'y dv fulvuus on 

 the sides and flanks, the throat and cheeks distinctly uniform dusky or sooty brown. 



Total length, I4.(K>-17.<Mt inches ; extent, 29.(K»-33.0() ; wing, 1(».(MI-1(».75 ; tail, O.rjO-S.^d, the 

 depth of the fork, 4.<K»-5.U0 ; culmen, 1.08-1.40 ; depth of bill at base, .30 ; tarsus, .55-.(i5 ; 

 middle toe, with claw, .80-.85. 



The Arctic Tern very closely resembles the common h'lrumlo both in its general 

 appearance and in its habits ; so tliat nearly all that may be said in regard to the 

 mode of nesting of the latter, its manner of flight, its cries and restlessness, it" social 

 characteristics, its solicitude for its young, and other traits, will apply with equal force 

 to this species. As its name would imply, the Arctic Tern is by far the more ncjrtli- 

 ern, in its distribution, of the two species, anil is found breeding to the highest point 

 of northern latitude, where the other is found — if at all — only in limited numbers. 

 It may be met with in all the Arctic Regions of America and the Old World. 



It has been seen occurring in abundance by Mr. Kennicott at Fort Iiesohition and 

 Fort Yukon ; by others at Fort Rae, Anderson Eiver, Slave Kiver, Slave Lake, lluffalo 

 River, Mackenzie River, Fort Simpson, Big Island, and Peel's River ; by Mr. MacFar- 

 lane on the Arctic coast; by Mr. Dall at Franklin Bay, Fort Anderson, R('udezvou.s 

 Lake, Swan Islands, the Lower Anderson, and Xulato ; by Mr. Biscliotf at Kadiak. 



On the eastern coast of America it breeds from Southeastern ilassachusetts to 

 the most extreme points of Greenland, in latitude 82° 34', and on the western coast 

 of Europe from Great Britain to Iceland. 



Captain H. W. Feilden (" Ibis,'" October, 1877) found this species breeding in Smith's 

 Sound at all the localities visited on the route of the expedition. On a small islet off 

 the north end of Bcllot's Island (latitude 81° 44') he saw several pair breeding, August 

 21. The land at that time was covered with snow, and on that islet it wa-s three inches 

 deep. In one nest he found a newly hatched Tern, which seemed quite well aiul lively 

 in its snowy cradle. The i)arent birds had thrown the snow, as it fell, out of the nest, 

 which was surrounded by a border of snow marked by their feet and raised two inches 

 above the general level. Birds were seen as early as June IG in 187G, and l)y the 

 end of that month pairs were scattered at intervals along the coast. A nest sciajtcd 

 in the gravel, containing two eggs, was found June 27; and during the first week in 

 August a pair of young birds, nearly ready to fly, were seen in latitude 81° 5<)'. This 

 Tern is included by Dr. Bessels iu his list of the birds procured at Polaris Bay. 



