194 KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 
SuBFAMILY STERNINZ. Terns. 
Genus GELOCHELIDON Breum. 
GELOCHELIDON NILOTICA (fasse/g.). 
Gull=billed Tern. 
and probably breeds in the State. 
Adult in summer : Top of head and nape black; 
upper part, including rump and tail, pearl gray; 
under parts white; bill and feet black, the former 
comparatively short and stout. 
Adult in winter: Similar, but having the head 
and neck white, the nape ashy, and a dusky patch 
in front of the eye. 
Length, 14; Wing, 12; Tail, 5.50; Bill, 1.40; 
Tarsus, 1.30. 
A most widely distributed cosmopoli- 
tan species. It is common in Florida 
It occurs commonly on the middle Atlan- 
tic coast in summer where it breeds, and occasionally wandering as far north 
as Maine. The eggs are usually three in number, pale brownish white, 
faintly mottled with brown, deposited in a slight depression in the sand. 
Genus STERNA Linn. 
STERNA TSCHEGRAVA Zegech. 
Caspian Tern. 
Adult in spring: Bill deep 
red ; top of the head black, rest 
of upper parts pearl gray; pri= 
maries dark slate color on 
inner webs, hoary on outer webs ; 
tail grayish white; feet black. 
-1dult in winter : Top of the head streaked 
with black ; tail showing brownish bars. 
Length, 21; Wing, 16; Tail, 6.10; Bill, 
2.60; Tarsus, 1.50. 
According to Mr. Scott, the Caspian Tern 
/ occurs in Florida.* I have never met with it in 
the State; itis known to breed on the Virginia 
coast, and{probably is a regular summer visitant 
to Florida. ' 
* Since the above was written, a bird of this species was killed in March near the head of the Banana River by Mr. T. Watson 
Merrill, of Boston. 
