862 



U. S. P, R. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



Sp. Ch. — Mult. Upper part of the head and hind neck deep black, tinged with brown on the front part of the head ; back 

 and wings light grayish blue ; first primary with the outer web black, on the inner web grayish black next the shaft, this color 

 increasing in extent towards the end, where it covers the entire web for about one inch, rest of inner web white ; the next five 

 primaries are hoary on their outer webs and blackish gray on the inner next the shaft, occupying the entire web at the end, 

 margin of the inner webs white ; central tail feathers very pale bluish gray, the others white on the inner webs and dusky gray 

 on the outer webs, deepening in color from the central feathers until it becomes blackish gray on the lateral ones ; sides of the 

 head, throat, rump, and under tail coverts, white; breast and abdomen clear pearl gray ; bill coral red, black neaLthe end with 

 the tip yellow ; iris hazel ; legs and feet coral red, not so dark as the bill ; claws brownish black. 



Length, 14| ; wing, 10| ; tail, 51 ; bill, 1| ; tarsus, J. 



Hah. — Texas to Labrador. 



Four specimens in the collection. 



List of specimens. 



STERNA MACEUEA, Naumann. 



Tbe Arctic Tern. 



Sterna macroura, Naum. Isis, 1819, 1847. 



Slema arctica, Temm. Man. d'Orn. II, 1820, 749.— Bonap. Syn. 1828, No. 287.— Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II, 1831, 



414.— NuTT. Man. II, 1834, 275 — Aud. Cm. Biog. Ill, 1835, 366.— Ib. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 107 ; 



pi. ccccxxiv. 



Sp. Ch. — Mult. Upper part of the head and hind neck black ; back and wings light grayish blue ; first primary deep black on 

 the outer web, dusky gray on the inner next the shaft, and over the entire web at the end, inner margin of inner web white ; 

 the next five primaries are bluish gray on the outer web and on the inner web next the shaft, this color extending over the entire 

 web at the end, where it is blackish gray on the inner margin, the remaining part of inner web white ; central tail feathers and 

 inner webs of the others white, the outer web of the outer tail feather blackish gray, the outer webs of the two next pale bluish 

 gray ; rump, sides of the head, and under tail coverts, white ; under plumage bluish gray, of a lighter shade than the back ; bill 

 deep carmine ; iris brown ; legs and feet dark crimson. 



Length, 14i ; wing, 10^ ; tail, 65 ; bill, 1 2-16 ; tarsus, |. 



Hab — Coast of the New England States to Arctic seas ; fur countries. 



Specimens in my cabinet and that of Prof. Baird. 



Dr. H. Bryant (Proc. Bost. Soc. of Nat. H. vol. VI, p. 120,) speaks of finding this species on 

 the coast of Nova Scotia, breeding in large numbers and apart from any other kinds. He also 

 gives comparative measurements, and points out the differences between it and its near ally S. 

 wilsoni. 



STERNA FORSTERI, Nuttall. 



Forster's Tcru. 



Sterna hirundo, Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. 11, 1831, 412. 



Sterna fonteri, Nutt. Man, II, 1834, 274. (Note.)— Lawr. Annals N. Y. Lyceum, V, 1852, 222, 



