LARID^, TERNS. GEN. 289-92. 321 



entirely wanting, and in its place is a broad black band on each side of the 

 head through the eye ; several lateral tail feathers are largely dusky on 

 the inner webs ; their outer webs are white. {^Slerna haveUil Audubon, 

 vii, 103, pi. 334.) N. Am., at large, abundant. /5'. Idrundo Sw. and Rich., 

 F. B.-A. ii, 412 ; 8. forsteri Nutt., ii, 274 ; Lawe. 

 in Bd., 862. See Coues, Proc. Phila. Acad. 1862, 

 543, 544; Id., ibid. 1871, 44. . . . forsteeii. 

 ■{'(', '7 Arctic Tern. Bill carmine or lake-red throughout ; 

 feet vermilion. Plumage like that of hirundo, but 

 much darker below, the plumbeous wash so heavy 

 that these parts are but little if any paler than the 

 mantle ; crissum pure white in marked contrast ; the 

 throat and sides of the neck pale or white. In 

 winter, cap defective ; in young, the same ; upper 

 parts patched with gray, brown or rufous ; under ^ 



J- ■■■ b J^ Fig. 203. Foot of Foi-8ter'3 Tern. 



parts paler or white ; a dark bar on the wing ; outer 



webs of several tail feathers dusky ; bill blackish or dusky-red with 

 yellow on the under mandible ; feet dull orange. Smaller than hirundo, 

 but tail much longer. Length 14-17 ; extent 28-30 ; wing 10-12 ; tail 

 5-8 ; bill li-l| ; tarsus only ^-f ; whole foot about IJ. Europe ; N. Am., 

 especially coastwise and northerly ; breeds plentifully in New England and 

 northward; abundant in Alaska. S. arctica Sw. and Rich., F. B.-A. ii, 

 414; NuTT., ii, 275 ; Aud., vii, 107, pi. 436 ; S. macroura Lawe. in Bd., 



862; Coues, I. c. 549 jiaceoura. 



j(?u Pike's Tern. Bill black, or reddish-black, the point often whitish. Plum- 

 age resembling that of Idrundo, and size about the same ; wings and tail 

 relatively longer ; bill 1|— 1^, very slender, |— f , high at the base ; tarsi J-|. 

 Pacific Coast, N. Am. I have never seen an adult, nor indeed any authentic 

 specimen of this bird ; but the type of 8terna pikei (a young bird, in poor 

 condition) which I have examined, seems almost unquestionably referable 

 here ; if not this si^ecies, it is a young macroura. 8. longipennis Nordmann, 

 Verz. 1835, 17 ; Middendorf, Sibirische Reise, 246, pi. 25, f. 4 ; Schlegel, 

 M. P.-B. 8lernm, 23. 8. pilcei Lawr., Ann. Lye. 1853, 3 and in Bd., 863 ; 

 Coues, I. c. 550 longipennis. 



'J (i '/ Roseate Tern. Bill black, usually orange at base below. Mantle very 

 pale pearly blue ; primaries with the white band broad aud usually extending 

 to the very tip ; below, pure white, or rosy-tinted; feet coral-red. Changes 

 of plumage as in other species. Length 12-16 ; wing 9-10 ; tail 5-8 ; bill 

 IJ-IS) very slender ; tarsus |-^. Atlantic Coast, U. S., abundant. 8. doug- 

 allii NuTT., ii, 278; Aud., vii, 112, pi. 437; 8.2Mradisea Lawr. iuBo., 

 863 ; Coues, I. c. 551 paradis^ea. 



^/O Least Tern. Bill yellow, usually tipped with black. Mantle pale pearly 

 grayish-blue, extending unchanged on the rump and tail ; a white frontal 

 crescent, separating the black cap from the bill, bounded below by a black 

 loral stripe reaching the bill ; shafts of two or more outer primaries blach on 



KEY TO N. A. BIRDS. 41 



