Terns 



bird that is not beautiful, unless we except the act of scratching 

 its head with one foot while on the wing; and this is, perhaps, 

 more amusing than lovely. This sea swallow also has the 

 accomplishment of opening and shutting its tail like a fan, so that 

 one moment it will look like a single pointed feather, and the 

 next it may be narrowly forked or widely stretched into an open 

 triangle. While flying, the birds are exceedingly watchful, jerk- 

 ing their heads now this way, now that, with nervous quickness, 

 all the time keeping their "bill pointing straight downward, 

 which makes them look curiously like colossal mosquitoes," to 

 quote Dr. Coues's famous comparison. By the middle of Octo- 

 ber the terns migrate southward from the New England and 

 Long Island waters to enjoy the perpetual summer, of which 

 they seem to be a natural exponent. 



Roseate Tern 



(Sterna dougalli) 



Called also: PARADISE TERN 



Length — 14, 50 to 15.50 inches. 



Male and Female — In summer: Mantle over back and wings deli- 

 cate pearl color, lighter and fading to white on the tail, which 

 is exceedingly long and deeply forked. Feathers on crown, 

 which reaches to the eyes and the back of neck, are black and 

 long. Under parts white, tinted with rose color. Long, slen- 

 der black bill, reddish at the base and yellow at the tip. 

 Feet and legs yellowish red. In winter: Under parts pure 

 white, having lost the rose tint; forehead and cheeks white. 

 Crown becomes brownish black, mixed with white; some 

 brownish feathers on wings; pearl gray tail, without extreme* 

 elongation or forking. 



Range — Temperate and warm parts of Atlantic coast, nesting 

 as far north as New England; most abundant, however, 

 south of New Jersey. Winters south of United States. 



Season — Comparatively rare summer resident at the north, but 

 regular. 



Closely associated with the common tern in their nesting 

 colonies on Gull and Muskegat Islands, described in the preced- 

 ing biography, this most exquisite member of all the family may 

 be distinguished from its companions by the very long and 



52 



