42 



North American Birds Eggs. 



74. Least Tern. Sterna antiltarum. 



Range.— From northern South America to southern NewEngland, Dakota and 

 California, breeding locally throughout its range. 



These little Sea Swallows are the smallest of the 

 Terns, being but 9 inches in length. They have a 

 yellow bill with a black tip, a black crown and nape, 

 and white forehead. Although small, these little 

 Terns lose none of the grace and beauty of action of 

 their larger relatives. They nest in colonies on the 

 South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, placing their eggs 

 upon the bare sand, where they are sometimes very 

 difficult to see among the shells and pebbles. They 

 are of a grayish or buffy color spotted with umber 

 and lilac. They number two, three and rarely tour, 

 and are laid in May and June. Size 1.1^5 x .95. Data. — DeSota Beach, Fla., 

 May 20, 1884. Three eggs laid on the sandy beach. Collector, Chas. Graham. 





(Light Buff.l 



7 5. Sooty Tern. Sterna luliginosa. 



Range. — Tropical America, north to the South Atlantic States 

 measures 17 inches in length; it has a 

 brownish black mantle, wings and tail, 

 except the outer feathers of the latter 

 which are white; the forehead and under 

 parts are white, the crown and a line from 

 the eye to the bill, black. This tropical 

 species is very numerous at its breeding 

 grounds on the small islands of the Flor- 

 ida Keys and the West Indies. They lay 

 but a single egg, generally placing it on 

 the bare ground, or occasionally building 

 a frail nest of grasses. The egg has a 

 pinkish white or creamy ground and is 

 beautifully sprinkled with spots of red- 

 dish brown and lilac. They are laid dur- 

 ing May. Size 2.05 x 1.45. Data. — 

 Clutheria Key, Bahamas, May 28, 1891. 

 water. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 



This species 



Creamy white. I 

 Single egg laid on bare ground near 



[76.] Bridled Tern. Sterna amrthetus. 



Range. - 



-Found in tropical regions of both hemispheres; casual or accidental 



in Florida. This Tern is similar to the 

 last except that the nape is white and the 

 white of the forehead extends in a line 

 over the eye. The Bridled Tern is com- 

 mon on some of the islands of the West 

 Indies and the Bahamas, nesting in com- 

 pany with the Sooty Terns and Noddies. 

 The single egg is laid on the seashore or 

 among the rocks. It is creamy white, 

 beautifully marked with brown aiid lilac. 

 Size 1.85 X 1.25. Data. Bahamas, May 

 9, 1892. Single egg laid in a cavity among 

 the rocks. Collector, D. P. Ingraham. 

 K'reamy White 



