40 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 fairing 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° 65. S. maxima Bodd. 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 8. 

 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 Gamb. Elegant Tern. 



cP. Bill deep black, usually with yellowish or whitish tip ; plumage 

 the same as in 8. maxima and 8. 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. Nest a depression in sand by sea-shore. 

 Eggs 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, etc. Sab. 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 (Cabot). Cabot's Tern. 



