so GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Vo. Common Tern. 



Sterna hirundo Linn. 1758. 



This is truly the " Common Tern," as it breeds abundantly from 

 the coasts of Labrador southward to the Grand Manan, N.B., on 

 all islands and coasts of Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia 

 and New Brunswick. It is also common in the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, breeding on the Magdalens, Anticosti and Prince Edward 

 Island. Ascending the St. Lawrence, it nests on the Thousand 

 Islands, where its nest was found by Rev. C. J. Young, in June, 

 1895. Stragglers are found throughout Ontario, and Saunders 

 and Morden report that this species breeds at St. Clair Flats. 



A summer resident in Manitoba and breeding. It is common 

 on all the large lakes of Assiniboia and breeds in suitable places. 

 A few breed near Indian Head, but the greatest numbers were 

 found at Crane Lake, about 100 miles east of Medicine Hat ; it 

 was also seen in 1895 at Cypress Lake and southwestward to 

 Waterton Lake near Chief Mountain, and north to Lac Ste. Anne, 

 Alberta. 



One specimen taken at Cowichan Gap, September 15th, 1896, 

 by R. D. McClure, Sidney, Vancouver Island. (Fanning 



Breeding Notes. — Breeding extensively on the shores of the 

 Arctic Sea as well as on islets in many of the inland lakes of the 

 forest region and " Barrens." (Macfarlane.) Breeding in large 

 numbers on a small island in Crane Lake, Assiniboia, June 

 5th-20th, 1894. Nest, a shallow hole in the ground lined with dry 

 ^rass. Of the hundreds of nests that I saw each contained three 

 5ggs, except two, and they had four. A number of the young 

 ivere hatched by June 20th. A few were found breeding by Deep 

 Lake, Indian Head, Assa., June 3rd, 1892. Common from Moose 

 Factory to Richmond Gulf. Hudson Bay ; breeding in June, 1896. 

 Spreadborough) 



On June i8th, 1894, on an island in Shoal Lake Manitoba, I 

 "ound thousands of this Tern breeding ; their nests were hollows 

 n the sand, lined with bits of drift-weed and contained three 

 ;ggs each. I found it breeding under like conditions on many of 

 he lakes of Assiniboia in June 1891 and 1893. {Raine.) 



This species was formerly very plentiful in the River St. 

 !vawrence from Kingston eastward. Numbers bred on Salmon 



