312 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



Kew Jersey ; North Carolina ; Georgia ; the Tortugas ; and San Diego, Cal. The 

 number found in a nest varies from one to four ; but the last number is rarely found, 

 and probably the same j)arent never deposits more than three eggs — perhaps not 

 more than two. The ground-color is a very uniform shade of light buff, becoming 

 paler with age. The spots are for the most part small, evenly distributed, colored 

 a lavender-gray and burnt umber. Four eggs in my own collection, from Tuckernuk, 

 measure 1.20 by .90 inches; 1.25 by .90; 1.21 by .91; 1.23 by .91. A few in the 

 Smithsonian Collection measure 1.30 by 1.00. The smallest length is 1.20, and the 

 least breadth .91. In some descriptions the ground-color of these eggs is spoken of 

 as being a greenish white ; but I have never found any with the least tinge of th;.t 

 color. In most examples the spots are small and evenly distributed ; occasionally 

 they are iu large blotches, and in a few instances they form a confluent ring. 



Sterna fuliginosa. 



THE SOOTY TERN. 



Sterna fuliginosa, Gmeu S. N. I. ii. 1788, 605. — Wils. Am. Oni. VIII. 1814, 145, pi. 72, fig. 7. — 

 NuTT. Mail. II. 18.34, 284. — Aud. Orn. Biog. 111. 1835, 263 ; V. 1839, 641, pi. 235 ; Synop. 

 1839, 317 ; B. Am. VII. 1844, 90, pi. 432. — Lawu. iu Baiiil's B. N. Am. 1858, 861. — Baiiid, 

 Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 688. — Couks, Check List, 1873, no. 573 ; 2d ed. 1882, no. 804. — 

 Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, 666. — Eidgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 691. 



Sterna [Hcdiplana) fuliginosa, CouES, Key, 1872, 322 ; B. N. W. 1874, 698. 



Sterna scrrata, Forst. Descr. An. ed. Licht. 1844, 276. 



Sterna guttata, Forst. t. c. 211 (young). 



Anous I' Hcrmenicri, Less. Descr. Mam. et Ois. 1847, 255 (young). 



Sterna Gouldii, Reich, (fide Gray). 



Sterna hiduosa, Phil. & Lanub. Wiegm. Archiv, 1866, 126. 



Sterna fuliginosa, var. crissalis, " Baird," Lawu. Pr. Bost. See. 1871, 285 (Socorro I.). 



Hab. Intertropical and subtropical coast-regions, completely round the globe. In America, 

 south to Chili, north, regularly to the Carolinas and Western Mexico ; casually to Pennsylvania, 

 Mas.sachusetts, and Vermont. 



Sp. Char. Adult: Forehead and upper part of the lores white, this color extending back 

 lateially to the middle of the upper eyelid ; a broad stripe across the lores (growing gradually 



•>v \ 



narrower anteriorly), auricular region, crown, occiput, nape (broadly), and entire upper parts, 

 fuliginous black, the outer jiair of rectrices white, with the inner webs growing gradually blackish 

 terminally. Entire lower parts, including axillars and lining of the wing, white, sometimes faintly 

 tinged posterioily witii pale bluish gray. Bill deep black; "iris chestnut" (Audubon); feet 

 black. Young, first jilumage : Dark fu]iL;inous, more dusky grayish below ; lining of the wing, and 



