LARIDJi; — THE GULLS AND TERNS — STERNA. 309 



eggs have since been obtained from different parts of Alaska. Mr. Dall Avas informed 

 that it was common in the Aleutian Islands, and expected to meet with it there ; but 

 none were seen. 



Four eggs of the Aleutian Tern (Smithsonian Institution, No. 1347), procured by- 

 Mr. Bischoff on the Island of Kadiak, have the following measurements : 1.65 by 

 t.l5 inches; 1.75 by 1.15; 1.85 by 1.10; 1.85 by 1.15. They all have a ground-color 

 of a brownish and a greenish olive ; the markings are large, partly longitudinal, 

 confluent, and in patches, and of a dark clove-brown. 



Sterna antillarum. 



THE LEAST TERN. 



Sterna minuta, "WiLS. Am. Orn. VIL 1813, 80, pi. 70, fig. 2 (not of Ltnn.). — Aud. Orn. Biog. IV. 



1838, 175, pi. 319 ; Synop. 1839, 321 ; B. Am, VL 1844, 119, 4G9. 

 Sterna argcntca, Nutt. Man. IL 1834, 280 (not of Max. 1820). 

 Stcrnula antillarum, Less. Descr. Mam. et Ois. 1847, 256. 

 Sterna antillarum, Coues, Pr. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1862, 552. — Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1871, 



571. — Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, 661. — Kidgw, Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 690. 

 Sterna superciliaris, b. antillarum, Coues, B. N. W. 1874, 692. 

 Sterna superciliaris antillarum, CoUES, 2d Check List, 1882, no. 801. 

 Sterna frenata. Game. Pr. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1848, 128. — Lawr. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 



864. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 694. 

 Sterna superciliaris, GuNDL. & Caban. J. f. 0. V. 1857, 232 (not of Vieill.). — Coues, Key, 1872, 



332 ; Check List, 1873, no. 570. 



Hab. Temperate and tropical North America in general ; south to Trinidad. Both coasts of 

 Central America ; on the Atlantic coast north, casually, to Labrador ; on the Pacific side, north 

 to California. 



Sp. Char. Smallest of the Terns (wing less than seven inches). Adult in summer : Pileum 

 and nape deep black, the forehead covered by a broad lunule of white extending back laterally to 

 the eyes, the lores being crossed by a black line or narrow stripe extending from the eye to the 

 lateral base of the maxilla, immediately behind the nostril. Entire upper parts, including lower 

 part of the nape, upper tail-coverts, and tail pale pearl-gray, deepest on the dorsal region and 

 wings. Two to three outer primaries dusky slate, the inner webs broadly edged with white ; 

 remaining quills pale pearl-gray, like the coverts, the edge of the inner webs white. Entire lower 

 parts pure white. Bill bright yellow, usually (but not always) tipped with black ; iris dark 



brown ; legs and feet bright orange-yellow. Adult, in winter : Similar, but lores, forehead, and 

 crown grayish white (purer white anteriorly), an occipital crescent and a stripe forward from this 

 to and surrounding the eye blackish. Bill dusky; legs and feet dull yellowish. Young, first 

 flumage : Somewhat similar to the winter plumage, but hiimeral region marked by a wide space 

 of dusky slate, the scapulars and interscapulars with subnuuginal V- or U-shaped marks of dusky, 

 the crown streaked and the occiput mottled with dusky, and the primaries darker than in the 



