HYPOTHETICAL LIST. 739 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
In this species we have another bird so closely resembling three related species as to be 
reulily confounded with them by any except the most careful observers. It may be 
known in summer from any Michigan tern by the combination of three peculiarities: 
The breast and belly are cither pure white or rose-tinted; the entire tail is white, the outer 
and inner webs of the outer tail-feathers being precisely alike; the bill is mainly black, 
being reddish only at or near the base. The tail is about as long as in the Arctic Tern, 
being at least an inch longer than in Forster’s, and nearly two inches longer than in the 
Common Tern. Winter adults and young of the year are similar to those of the species 
already mentioned and can be separated only by the expert. Length, 14 to 17 inches; 
wing, 9.25 to 9.75; tail, 7.25 to 7.75 (forked for 3.50 to 4.50 inches); culmen, 1.50. 
Sooty Tern. Sterna fuscata (Linn.) (75) 
This is another tropical or sub-tropical species of wide distribution which 
has been credited to Michigan. Its normal habitat in America is from 
Chili to western Mexico and the Carolinas, casually to New England. 
It is barely. possible that one might be caught in a tropical hurricane and 
swept northward into the Great Lake region, but we know of no instance. 
The record for DeWitt, Ingham county (Cook, Birds of Michigan, 2d ed., 
1893, 35) unquestionably relates to the Black Tern, which occurs not 
infrequently on the ponds and marshes of Ingham county, but probably 
was unknown to the recorder, Dr. Topping, who found the name ‘Sooty 
Tern” appropriate to the specimen he took. The Sooty Tern is larger 
than either the Common Tern or Forster’s Tern, mainly sooty black above, 
but pure white below, the outer pair of tail feathers mainly white, the 
others blackish. 
Anhinga. Anhinga anhinga (Linn.). (118) 
Synonyms: Snake Bird, Water Turkey. 
This is a tropical form restricted to the southern portions of the United 
States and not likely ever to occur within our limits. Its appearance in for- 
mer lists seems to be due to the statement that Mr. Chas. Dury of Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, had a specimen in his collection which was brought from Sault 
Ste. Marie, Mich., by a gentleman who is said to have obtained it from the 
person who shot it, the implication being that it was killed at Sault Ste. 
Marie. It is extremely improbable that this was the case, there being only 
the barest possibility that a bird of this kind, accustomed only to tropical 
waters, could have survived more than a few hours in the icy current of 
St. Mary’s River, even had it in some mysterious manner reached that 
northern point. It is far more probable that this was a Florida specimen 
included among the wares of some curio dealer who was willing to ascribe 
any locality to the bird which would secure its sale. So far as we can 
learn there is no record of the occurrence of this species north of South 
Carolina and the southernmost point of Illinois. 
Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). (119) 
Another species which has appeared pretty regularly in previous lists 
of the birds of the state, but apparently without warrant. It is practically 
certain that all the so-called records of this bird are based in reality on 
the Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus which is doubtless 
the only species which occurs in Michigan. The Common Cormorant 
