326 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



7. Arctic Tern (71. Stirna paradlscea). — This is almost 

 exactly like the last, but the tail is somewhat larger, and the 

 bill decidedly redder. Mr. Brewster says the usual cry of the 

 Arctic tern is shriller and more pig-like. 



Length, 15J ; wing, 10-11 ; tail, 6-8|, forked, 4J ; tarsus, | ; culraen, 

 IJ. Northern hemisphere ; breeding from Massachusetts northward, and 

 wintering south to Virginia and California. 



8. Roseate Tern (72. StSrna doiigalli). — A rare, black-billed, 

 white-tailed tern, with back and wings pearl-gray, and the white 

 under parts often delicately pink-tinted. The bill is slightly 

 reddish at base, especially in young birds. In summer, the 

 whole top of the head is black, but in winter, the front of the 

 head is white with black streaking; the under parts in winter 

 are pure white. Mr. Chapman says this species "is a less 

 excitable, wilder bird than hirundo [No. 6.], and its single harsh 

 note, cack, may be distinctly heard above the uproar of common 

 terns, as it hovers somewhat in the background." 



Length, 15J ; wing, 9| (9^0f) ; tail, 7J, forked 4 ; tarsus, | ; culmen, 

 1^. Tropical regions generally ; breeding north on the Atlantic coast, 

 rarely to Maine, and wintering south of the United States. 



9. Least Tern (74. Sterna antilld,rum). — A very small, rare 

 tern, with the back, wings, and tail pearl-gray, the under 



parts white, the forehead white, and the 

 bill mainly yellow. There is a black cap 

 extending forward past the eyes, and the 

 I outer webs of the outer primaries are 

 black. The young is somewhat mottled 

 and has a blackish bill. 



Least Tern 



Length, 9 ; wing, 6| ; tail, 3J, forked, nearly 

 2 ; tarsus, |; culinen, 1^. Northern South America, and north to New 

 England, Minnesota, and California ; breeding mainly throughout. Cas- 

 ual to Labrador. 



10. Sooty Tern (75. SUrna fuligindsa). — A large tern, with 

 nearly all the upper surface black, and the lower surface 

 white. The tail is deeply forked, and the bill and feet are 



