BLACK TERN (Hydrocheli- 

 don nigra siuinamensis). 



Length, 10 inches. In au- 

 tumn occurs as a migrant on 

 the east coast of the United 

 States, and then is in wliite 

 and gray plumage. During 

 the breeding season it is con- 

 fined to the interior, is chiefly 

 black, and is the only dark 

 tern occurring inland. 



Range: Breeds from Cali- 

 fornia, Colorado, Missouri, and 

 Ohio, north to central Canada; 

 winters from Mexico to South 

 America ; migrant in the east- 

 em United States. 



Habits and economic status: This tern, unlike most of its relatives, passes much 

 of its life on fresh-water lakes and marshes of the interior. Its neste are placed 

 among the tules and weeds, on floating vegetation, or on muskrat houses. It lays 

 from 2 to 4 eggs. Its food is more varied than that of any other tern. So far as 

 known it preys upon no food fishes, but feeds extensively upon such enemies of fish 

 as dragonfly nymphs, fish-eating beetles, and crawfishes. Unlike most of its fam- 

 ily, it devours a great variety of insects, many of which it catches as it flies. Dragon- 

 flies, Mayflies, grasshoppers, predaceous diving beetles, scarabaeid beetles, leaf bee- 

 tles, gnats, and other flies are the principal kinds preyed upon . Fishes of little eco- 

 nomic value, chiefly minnows and mummichogs, were found to compose only a lit- 

 tle more than 19 per cent of the contents of 145 stomachs . The great consumption of 

 insects by the black tern places it among the beneficial species worthy of protection . 



FRANKLIN'S GULL (Larus franklmi). 



Length, 15 inches. During its residence in the United States Franklin's gull 

 is practically confined to the interior and is the only inland gull with black 

 head and red bill. 



Range: Breeds in the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota, and the neighboring parts of 

 southern Canada; winters from the Gulf Coast to South America. 



Habits and economic status: Nearly all of our gulls are coast-loving species 

 and spend comparatively little of their time in fresh water, but Franklin's is a 

 true inland gull. Extensive marshes bordering shallow lakes are its chosen 

 breeding grounds, and as many such areas are being reclaimed for agricultural 

 purposes it behooves the tillers of the soil to protect this valuable species. AMien 

 undi^isturbed this gull becomes quite fearless and follows the plowman to gather 

 the grubs and worms from the newly turned furrows. It lives almost exclusively 

 upon insects, of which it consumes great quantities. Its hearty appetite is 

 manifest from the contents of a few stomachs: A, 327 nymphs of dragonflies; 

 B, 340 grasshoppers, 52 bugs, 

 3 beetles, 2 wasps, and 1 

 spider; C, 82 beetles, 87 bugs, 

 984 ants, 1 cricket, 1 grass- 

 hopper, and 2 spiders. About 

 four-fifths of the total food is 

 grasshoppers, a strong point 

 m favor of this bird. Other 

 injurious creatures eaten are 

 billbugs, squash bugs, leaf- 

 hoppers, click beetles (adults 

 of wireworms), May beetles 

 (adults of white grubs), and 

 weevils. Franklin's gull is 

 probably the most beneficial 

 oiid of its group. (See Farm- 

 ers' Bui. 497, pp. 19-22.) 



697 



