130 MARSH OR GULL-BILLED TERN. 



siderably in their markings. They are generally an inch and three- 

 quarters in length, an inch and half an eighth in breadth, smooth, of a 

 greenish or olivaceous tint, largely marked with irregular splashes of 

 dark umber, almost black, disposed aroimd the broadest part, leaving the 

 apex with only a few small dots of the same colour, similar dots being 

 as sparingly dispersed toward the smaller end, which falls ofF toward 

 the extremity, and is there gently roundedo The parents sit more upon 

 them than is usual with Terns which drop their eggs on the sands, and 

 they do not leave their charge in cloudy weather. The young have the 

 bill of a dull reddish orange-brown colour, the legs and feet of a less 

 deep tint of the latter colour, which is retained by them until late in 

 the winter, when these parts become black, and so continue for life. 



The Marsh Tern does not extend its migrations eastward along om- 

 shores beyond New England ; which will be understood by those who 

 know, that in a continued direction the rocky shores afford them no 

 place In which they could obtain food. But, from what I know of the 

 extraordinary power of flight of this bird, I am not at all surprised at 

 its being found in Em'ope, any more than I shoidd be to find it cosmo- 

 politan. 



I here present the different measvirements carefully taken from fresh 

 birds of only four pairs, all shot in spring, and in fuU plumage, although 

 of different ages. Wilson's measurements are as follows : " fourteen 

 inches in length, and thirty-four in extent." 



M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. 



Length to end of tail, . 13 14| 14^ 13^ 13^ 13^ 14i 14 



claws, 11 12i 12 Hi 12i 12f 12 11 



wings, 141 15 15i 14i 14^ 13^ 15f 14f 



Extent of wings, . . 33 341 34^ 33i 34 34 35| 35 



Tarsus, li 1^ 1 If li 1 If If 



The weight of the four male birds was 6^ oz., 5|, 6f, 7|. The fe- 

 males were quite as heavy. 



Gull-billed Tern, Sterna akolica, Mont. Ornith. Dict;> Supplt. 

 Marsh Tern, Sterna aranea, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. viii. p. 143, pi. 72, fig. 6. 

 Sterna aranea, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 354. 

 Marsh Tern, NuttaU, Manual, voL ii. p. 269. 



Adult Male in summer. Plate CCCCX. 



Bill about the length of the head, rather stout, compressed, acute 

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight to the anterior 

 edge of the nostrils, then arcuato-declinate, t e ridge rather broad and 



