Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 27 



lakes to Alberta. Breeds from Arizona, Texas and Florida 

 northward. Winters from Virginia southward and along the 

 Gulf coast to western Mexico. 



In Missouri now a rare transient visitant in the second half of 

 May. In the eastern part of the state it was formerly much 

 more common than in the western, but it has also been taken at 

 St. Joseph by Mr. Sidney S. Wilson (May 28, 1895). 



*74. Sterna antillarum (Less.). Least Tern. 



Sterna minuta. Sterna argentea. Sterna superciliaris. Sterna frenata. 



Geog. Dist. — Northern South America, northward to southern 

 California, Dakota and New England, breeding throughout its 

 range, and wintering south of the United States. 



The Least Tern was formerly a not uncommon summer resi- 

 dent on sandbars in the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers from 

 May 1 to September 15, but none have been seen the last few 

 years, though they may still breed in small numbers within 

 the state. 



*77. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis (Gmel.). Black 

 Tern. 



Hydrochelidon lariformis. Sterna nigra. Hydrochelidon fissipes. Sterna 

 fissipes. Hydrochelidon plumbea. Short-tailed Tern. 



Geog. Dist. — Temperate and tropical America from Alaska to 

 Chile and Brazil. Breeds from the middle United States west of 

 the Alleghanies northward, the marshy districts of Manitoba and 

 Assiniboia being its chief breeding grounds at present. 



In Missouri the Black Tern was formerly a fairly common 

 breeder in marshy regions, but it is now rare except in migra- 

 tion, when fairly common from the end of April to the last of 

 May and in August and September, sometimes to October 21. 



Order STEGANOPODES. Totipalmate Swimmers. 



Family Anhingidae. Darters. 



*118. Anhinga anhinga (Linn.). Anhinga. 



Plotus anhinga. Plotus melanogaster. Darter. Snakebird. Water Turkey. 



Geog. Dist. — -Tropical and subtropical America, north in 

 United States to South Carolina on the Atlantic coast and south- 

 ern Missouri in the Mississippi Valley. 



