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38 North American Birds Eggs. 



65. Royal Tern. Sterna maxima. 



Range.— Temperate North and South America, breeding in the United States 

 locally from Texas and the Gulf States northward to the northern boundarj' of 

 the United States. 



The Royal Terns nest in . . ^ 



great numbers on the coasts 

 and islands on the South 

 Atlantic and Gulf States 

 and in the marshes of south- 

 ern Texas. Like the for- 

 mer species they lay two or 

 three eggs in a hollow on the 

 bare sand. The eggs are the 

 same size but differ in being 

 more pointed and having a ' 

 lighter ground and with the 

 markings more bold and dis- 

 tinct. Size 2.60x1.70. Data. 

 — Ragged Is., Bahamas. No 

 nest. Eggs laid on sand bank. 

 Never have seen in the Tropics 

 more than a single egg in a 

 nest. Collector, D. P. Ingraham 



66. Elegant Tern. Sterna eteganfi. 



Range.— Pacific Coast of South and Central America 





V^' 



lirayish buH.^ 



summer. 



north to California in 



K'ream color.] 



A similar bird to the Royal 

 Tern, but easily distinguished'by 

 its smaller size, slenderer bill, and 

 more graceful form. In the breed- 

 ing plumage the under parts of 

 these Terns are tinged with rosy, 

 which probably first gave the birds 

 their name. They breed on the 

 coasts and islands of Mexico and 

 Central America, placing their 

 eggs on the sand. They are be- 

 lieved to lay but a single egg, 

 like that of the Royal Tern, but 

 smaller. Size 2.40 x 1.40, Data.— 

 Honduras, Central America, June 

 5, 1899. Single egg laid on the 

 sandy beach. 



67. Cabot Tern. 



Sterna sandvirensis acuflavida 

 Range.— A tropical species breeding 

 regularly north to the Bahamas and 

 Florida ; casually farther north. A 

 beautiful bird distinguished from the 

 three preceding ones by its smaller 

 size (sixteen inches) and by the bill 

 which is black with a yellow tip. They 

 nest in colonies on the shores of islands 

 in the West Indies and Bahamas, but 

 not to a great extent on the United 

 States Coast. Their two or three eggs 

 have a creamy ground and are boldly 

 marked with brown and black. Size 

 2.10 X 1.40. 



[Cream color. J 



