

p i 



'li ;. 



80 



TERNS. 



Floridii, and on the Atlantic coast to Vir^jrinia ; occasionally wanders north- 

 ward to the Great Lakes and Ma.ssaehusett8. 



Loi);l' Island, A. V. in suiiiiiier. 



Eijtjii, (JUL' to four, more pointed than those of the precedin<r, grayish white, 

 with rather small, distinct, and obscure chocolate miirkings, 'j'Co x 1-75. 



A common species on our southern coasts. During the winter it 

 is about the only Tern one sees in Florida waters. It is a strong, 

 active bird on the win^r iid a reckless, dashing diver, fre(iueTitly dis- 

 appearing beneath the - face in catching its prey. The slow-flying 

 Pelicans are at its mercy, and it often deftly robs them of their well- 

 earned gains. 



Both this species and the preceding, and indeed all the Terns, are 

 to be known from the Gulls by the very different manner in which 

 they hold their bills. A Tern points its bill directly downward, and 

 looks, as Cones says, like a big mosquito, while a Gull's bill points for- 

 ward in tht ^ lane of its body. 



GT. litema sandvicensis acuflavida (Cabot). Carot's Tkrn; 

 Sandwich Tekn. A<1. in sprliKj. — Wliole tup of tlie head and crest black; 

 back and winys light pearl-gray; primaries silvery gray; the shaft part of 

 the inner web white except at the tip; rest of the plumage white ; feet and 

 bill black, the latter with a connpictiouH yeUuwhh tip. Ad. after the breeding 

 season and in winter. — Similar to the al)ove, but crown white, sometimea 

 spotted with black ; back of tiie liead ami crest more or less streaked with 

 white. Itn. — Similar to the preceding, but back spotted with blackish ; tail 

 slaty gray and much shorter; bill slightly if at all tipped with yellow. L., 

 lG-00; W., 1(K)0; T., rv.W; B., 2-05, 



/j'wnj/g.— Tropical America, breeding on the Gulf coast from Texas to 

 Florida, and on the Atlantic coast to South Carolina; accidental in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



E(j(js, two to three, buffy white, spotted, speckled, and scrawled with dis- 

 tinct and obscure chocolate markings, '2'05 x 1'40. 



This is an abundant summer resident on the coasts of southern 

 Florida, and in winter is common as far north as Key West. 



It is said by Audubon to somewhat resemble the Marsh Tern on 

 the wing, and to have a loud, sliarp, grating voice, which can be hoard 

 half a mile or more. I have never seen it alive, but I believe its 

 yellow-tippeil, black bill would enable one to identify it at some dis- 

 tance. 



TuuDEAr's Teun {Gli. Sterna trudeaui) is a Soutli American species wiiich 

 has been taken once on Long Island and once on the New Jersey coast. 



69* Sterna forsteri Xuft. Forsteh's Tekn. Ad. in summer. — 

 Whole top of the head black ; back and wings pearl-gray ; inner border of 

 inner web of the outer primaries white, except at the tip; rump and entire 



