228 SWIMMERS. 



and ranging over inland waters as well as on the sea. It has been 

 found breeding on Cobb's Island, Virginia, but along the New Eng- 

 land shores it is seen in the spring and autumn chiefly, indicating a 

 Northern nesting ground, though few specimens have been taken in 

 the Arctic regions. It is said that nests have been taken on the 

 shores of Texas and in Great Slave Lake, — which would give 

 the bird an extensive breeding area, though the nesting sites are in 

 widely separated localities. It might almost be said of this bird that 

 it ranges over the entire globe, and breeds throughout its range. 



The cry of the bird is loud and harsh, resembling the syllables 

 kay-owk, or key-rak j though when a nesting site is menaced, or a 

 pair meets in contention for a coveted mouthful, the cry is reduced 

 to a sharp kok, or kak, or kowk. 



The Caspian Tern preys chiefly on fish ; but several naturalists 

 have reported finding the remains of eggs and young birds in its 

 stomach. 



Note. — A few examples of Trudeau's Tern {Sterna trudeaui), 

 a South American species, have wandered north as far as Long 

 Island ; and the Bridled Tern {S. ancsthetus), also a tropical 

 bird, has been taken ofi the coast of Florida. 



SOOTY TERN. 

 Sterna fuliginosa. 



Char. Upper parts sooty black ; forehead, outer tail-feathers, and 

 under parts white ; bill, legs, and feet, deep black. Length about i6 

 inches. 



Nest. A slight hollow in the sand of an open sea-beach ; sometimes 

 amid the thicket of herbage bordering the beach. 



^SS^- '~3 (usually i) ; white to pale buff, spotted with reddish brown 

 and lilac ; average size 2.00 X 1.40. 



These Terns generally inhabit the tropical seas, being widely 

 dispersed into either hemisphere. On the Isle of Ascension 

 they breed in swarms. The flocks which possess the various 

 parts of the island, perpetually breeding, in this mild latitude 

 were found laying at different times. In some places the 

 young were hatched and grown, in others newly laid eggs 

 were seen. They uttered a sharp and shrill cry, and were so 

 fearless of the men who visited the island as to fly almost 



