NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
paler (nearly white) on upper tail-coverts and tail; whole 
top of head, including occipital crest, glossy black ; rest of 
plumage pure white ; bill deep orange, feet blackish. Adult 
just after pairing season: Similar, but forehead and forepart 
of crown white, only the occipital crest and hinder part of 
crown being uniform black. Winter plumage: Similar to 
summer plumage, but black of occiput also mixed more or 
less with white, and bill paler orange. Young: Somewhat 
like winter adult, but upper parts sparsely spotted with 
dusky brown, these spots largest on tertials; tail-feathers 
brownish or dusky near tips; top of head speckled white 
and dusky, the occipital crest but slightly developed; bill 
dull orange. Length 18.00-21.00, wing 14.00-15.00, tail 
6.00-8.00, forked for about half its total length; culmen 
2.40-2.75, depth of bill at base .65-.75, tarsus 1.35-1.45. 
Nest (usually many together) a depression in sand, near 
sea-shore. Eggs 1-3 or 4, 2.61 x 1.78, ovate, elongate- 
ovate, or subacute-ovate, buffy, cream-color, or whitish, 
handsomely spotted (sometimes lined) with dark brown or 
black, these markings usually suffused exteriorly with light 
brown and purplish gray. Hab. Coasts and larger inland 
waters of United States, and southward, breeding north to 
about 40°........cceeceeee 65. S. maxima Bopp. Royal Tern. 
e. Depth of bill at base less than one-fourth (about one-fifth) the 
length of the exposed culmen ; plumage same as that of S. 
maxima, but lower parts very deeply tinged with rose-, or 
peach-blossom, pink, and occipital crest more developed; 
length about 16.00-17.00, wing 12.40-12.50, tail 6.60-7.30, 
forked for about 2.60-3.50 ; culmen 2.25-2.55, depth of bill 
through base .45-.50, tarsus 1.05-1.25. Eggs 2.15 x 1.45, 
ovate, creamy white, boldly spotted (chiefly round larger 
end) with black and various shades of rich warm brown. 
Hab. Pacific coast of Middle America, north to San Fran- 
cisco, California...... 66. S. elegans Gams. Elegant Tern. 
d@. Bill deep black, usually with yellowish or whitish tip; plumage 
the same as in S. maxima and S. elegans, but usually less pinkish 
beneath than the latter; length 14.00-16.00, wing about 12.50, 
tail 6.00 (forked for about 2.35), culmen 2.25, depth of bill at 
base .48, tarsus 1.00. West a depression in sand by sea-shore. 
ggs 1.99 X 1.38, ovate, white, buffy, or rich cream-color, 
handsomely but variously marked (often with zigzag lines) 
with different shades of rich brown, black, ete. Hab. South 
-Atlantic and Gulf coasts of United States, north to southern 
New England; south, in winter, to West Indies and Middle 
America (both coasts), 
67. S. sandvicensis acuflavidus (Cazor). Cabot’s Tern. 
