440 



BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, [Yol.r. 



163. Sterna cantiaca Gm. — Sandwich Tern. 



Common on the coast side of Corpus Christ! Bay. I was too early 

 for their laying, as well as that of all the Gulls and Terns. 



164. Sterna porsteri Nutt. — Forster's Tern. 



Common about Corpus Christi and ISTueces Bays and Lagoona Madre. 



165. Sterna superciliaris antillarum (Less.) Coues. — Least Tern. 

 A few noticed along the coast, but seen daily about the river at 



Lomita. They nest upon the sand bars in the river, which seems a 

 strange place for their nesting, as even a small rise of water means de- 

 struction to nests and eggs. We obtained a number of eggs early in 

 May, and about the middle of the month a great rise occurred, which 

 swept away all traces of their breeding resorts. The eggs have the 

 ground-color darker drab than a set in my collection taken at Ipswich, 

 Mass., by Mr. Bailey, and the dark brown blotches are much larger and 

 more numerous. They average 1.18 by .91. 



166. Eynchgps nigra L. — Black Skimmer. 



Common on the shallows and flats about Corpus Christi Bay the latter 

 part of March, at which time they were in changing plumage. I am 

 told they breed there in great numbers, but we were too early to see 

 signs of it. 



COLYMBID^. 



167. CoLYMBUS torquatus Brunn. — Loon. 



Common near the Pass, in Corpus Christi Bay, during the last days 

 of March. 



168. PoDiCEPS DOivnNicus (L.) — San Domingo Orebe. 



Five of these birds obtained at Concepcion Lake, a few miles from 

 Lomita, and a few others seen. I think they are not very common. 

 Dissection of a female on April 27 showed eggs very little developed. 

 The birds were moulting, and two of them looked like full-grown young 

 of the season, making it probable that they breed very early. 



Lomita 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 



April 27 

 April 27 

 April 27 

 April 27 

 April 27 



9.50 

 9.50 

 10.50 

 9.50 

 9.75 



15.87 

 12.50 

 16.50 

 15.00 

 16.00 



3.75 

 3.25 

 3,75 

 3.62 

 3.75 



