OF VIRGINIA 9 
[67]. Sterna sandeicensis acuflavida (Cabot). 
Cabot’s Tern. 
Rayer.—North and South America. Breeds from 
Virginia to Florida, Texas, and Mexico; winters from the 
Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana to Central America 
(both coasts), the Greater Antilles, Colombia, and Brazil ; 
accidental in Ontario, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and the 
Lesser Antilles. 
This is an extremely rare bird on our coast, and it was 
not until the summer of 1912 that a set of two eggs of 
this species was secured from one of our coastal islands. 
As there has been a small colony of these birds breeding 
on the North Carolina coast for the last few vears, the 
birds with us are probably stragglers from that colony. 
The eggs were laid in a slight depression in the sandy 
beach, well back from the ordinary high-tide line. They 
have a bold creamy ground; streaked and blotched with 
heavy markings of blackish-brown, with lghter shade 
markings of lavender. Size, 2.12x1.42. They probably 
arrive and depart with the other large terns, such as the 
Royal and Caspian. I hope these birds will continue to 
breed with us, for while they are very common further 
south, they are a rarity and novelty with us, besides 
helping to beautify our bays and shores by their presence. 
They raise but a single brood each season with us. 
[69]. Sterna forstert (Nuttall). Forster’s Tern. 
[Big Striker. Big Sea Swallow]. 
Rayer.—North America. Breeds on interior lakes of 
California, southern Oregon, and Nevada, and from sonth- 
