218 BIRDS OP ILLINOIS. 



Zestria hardyi Bonaf. Tabl. do Lonelp. Compt. Bend, 1856,770; Gonsp. li, 1857, 210. 

 Lestris brissoni "BoiB," Duaii. & Gbebb, Orn. Eur. il, 1867,400. 



Has. Nortbern parts ot northern hemisphere, breeding in the Arctio districts, and mi- 

 grating south in winter to the more northern United States, occaslonallr as for as the Gull 

 of Mexico. 



Sp. Ghab. Adult. Entire pileum and upper part of nape, together with lores, malar 

 region, and orbital region, sooty black, or dull slate-black ; rest ot head and neck, including 

 lower portion of hind neck, straw-yellow, paler on the chin and throat. Upper parts, ex- 

 cept as described, rather dark brownish gray or slate-color (more ashy on the back, where 

 paler anteriorly), the remiges and rectrioes darker, especially toward ends; whei e nearly 

 black. Chest (sometimes breast ateo, or, rarely, even the belly) white, shading gradually 

 into grayish, the under tail-ooverts, anal region, flanks, sides, and usuajly the abdo- 

 men, being deep ash-gray, becoming gradually paler anteriorly. Bill blackish, said to be 

 partly bluish in life ; iris bro wn ; feet black, the tarsus light grayish blue in life (changing to 

 yellowish in dried skin). 



Length, about 20.00-23.00 inches; extent, 36.00-38.50; wing, 11.S5t12.86 ; tall, elongated mid- 

 dle feathers, l6.50-U.50, outer feathers. 4.75-6.00; oulmen, 1.10-1.30; tarsus, 1.50-1.80; middle toe, 

 1.08-1.30. 



This species apparently has no dark phase, like that of S. 

 parasiticus. 



The Long-tailed Jaeger is included in this work on Illinois 

 birds on the str^gth of the following information received from 

 Mr. W. H. Ballon, in a letter dated March 11, 1878 : 



"It may be of some value to you to know that I picked up 

 dead on the Mississippi shore of Cairo, 111., one specimen of Buf- 

 f on's, or the Long-tailed Jaeger. The specimen was obtained in 

 November, 1876. It might have been killed or died in the head- 

 waters of the Mississippi or Missouri Eiver and floated down for 

 all I know. It was too much decayed to preserve, and seemed 

 to have been dead a number of days. After an examination by 

 myself and another gentleman we were compelled to throw it 

 away.*' 



