LARIDJC— THE GULLS AND TERNS. 



249 



Only one species of this geuus belongs properly to North 

 America, although a single specimen of a European species was 

 taken at Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin, by the late Professor 

 Thure Kumlien, July 5, 1873. 



The common North American bird has been generally referred 

 to the European //. nigra (Lixx.), but is so different that little, 

 if any, harm would be done by considering it a distinct species.* 



Hydroclielidon nigra surinamensis (Gmel.) 



BLACK TEEN. 

 Popular synonyms. American Black Tern ; Short-tailed Tern ; Golondrina de mar (Mexico). 



Ste>-na surinamensis Gmel. S. N. i, pt. ii, 1788, 604. 



Hydrochelidon sttrinainensis Bonap. Compt. Rend. 1856, 773. 

 Uydrochelidon lariformis surinamensis Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 693. 

 Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis Ste.jn. Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus. Vol. 5. 1882, 40.— B. B. 

 & K. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 318.-A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 77.-Ridg-w. Man. N. 

 Am. B. 1887, 47 

 ciiema plumbea WiLS. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 83, pi. 83 (young). 



Hydrochelidon plumhealjK^B.. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 864.— Baibd, Cat. N. Am. B, 



1859, No. 695. 

 iSfema niffra Sw. & Rich. F. B.- A. ii, 1831, 415 (nec Linn.).— NuTT. Man. ii, 1834, 282.— Aud. 



Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 593; v. 1839, 642. pi. 180; Synop. 1839, 320; B. Am. vii, 1844. 116, pi. 434 

 Hydrochelidon nigra (part) Saundebs, P. Z. S. 1878. 612. 

 Hydrochelidon fissipes (part) Coues. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 554 (nee Sterna 



nssipes Linn.); Key, 1872, 323; Check List, 1873, No. 575. 

 Hydrochelidon lariformis (part) Coues, B. N. W. 1874.704 (nee Ballus lariformis Linn.); 



2d Check List, 1882, Xo. 806.— Ridgw. Orn. 40th Par. 1877. 640. 

 Hab. The whole of temperate North America, and portions of tropical America; north 

 to Alaska, south to ChiJi: breeds nearly throughout Its North American range, except along 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



Sp. Chap. Adult, in summer: Head, neck, and lower parts sooty black, the head and 

 neck, especially above, nearly pure black; anal region and crissum pure white. Entire 

 upper parts uniform plumbeous, the border of the wing, from the shoulders to the carpo- 

 metacarpal joint, white. Lining of the wing hght plumbeous- gray. Bill deep black, the 

 rictuslake-red,theinterior of the mouth pinkish; ii-is dark browa; legs and feet purphsh 

 dusky. Adult, in winter: Head, neck, and lower parts pure white; orbital and auricular 

 regions dusky : crown and occiput dark grayish, the feathers bordered with paler. Upper 

 parts as in the summer plumage, but rather paler plumbeous. Young, first plumage: Very 

 similar to the winter plumage, bat scapulars, interscapulars, and tertials tipped with raw 

 umber brown, the anterior lesser wing coverts dusky, the crown, occiput, and upper part 

 of the nape dusky, and the entire sides washed with plumbeous. Downy young: Above, 

 deep, soft umber-brown, with a few coarse, irregular marblings of black; forehead, crown, 

 throat, and chest more sooty brown, without markings; sides of the head (including lores) 

 dull whitish; abdomen white centrally, pale sooty grayish exteriorly.! 



• See Water Birds of North America, vol. ii, p. 320, 



t From No. 77.5&t, Cold Springs. Cal.. July 27, 1877; H. W. Hbnshaw, collector. 



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