238 BIEDS OF ILLINOIS. 



longer scapulars, etc., by a dusky Internal sub-border; greater wlng-poverts and seoond- 

 arles white, as in the adult; primaries much as la the adult. Tail white, witha broad sub- 

 terminal band of black, the tip narrowly white or pale fulvous; upper tail-ooverts and en- 

 tire lower parts white. Bill dusky, brownish toward the base: feet light brownish (in the 

 skin). 



Wing, about 10.75 inches; oulmen, 1.00; depth ot bill through angle, .30; tarsus, 1.26; 

 middle toe and claw, 1.25. 



According to published records only one specimen of this»Arc- 

 tic gull has been observed in Illinois, and that, unfortunately, 

 was not secured. It was shot by Mr. E. W. Nelson* oh the 

 shore of Lake Michigan,, April 1, 1873, was in breeding plum- 

 age, but falling beyond his reach, was drifted off from the shore 

 by the wind. 



Subfamily STERNINiE.— The Terns. 

 Genus GELOCHELIDON Beehm. 



Gelochelidon Bbeeu, Naturg. Vog. Deutsohl. 1831, 774. Type, G. meridionaliB 

 Bbehm, =Sterna nilotioa Hasselq. 



Gen. Chae. Bill short and stout, with strongly convex upper and lower outline. Its 

 depth at the base equal to one third the length of the exposed culm n ; gonys s"horter than 

 outer toe, without cla v; tail nearly half as long as the wing, forked for less than one third 

 its length. Color of adult pale pearl-gray above, with top of head and hind-neok deep 

 black, lower parts white; bill and leet black. 



The genus includes, so far as known, a single species, the 

 Gull-billed Tern {G. nilotica), which occurs in Europe, Asia, 

 Africa, and Australia, as well as America. 



Gelochelidon nilotica (Hasselq.) 



GULIi-BILIJX rSSS. 



Popular synonym. Marsh Tern. 



Sterna nilotica Hasselq. Beise nach Pal. Deutsche Ausg. 1762, 325. 



Gelochelidon nilotica Stejn. Auk. 1, Oct. 1884, 366.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, .No. 63.— 

 ElDGW. Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 88. 

 Sterna anglioa Montague, Cm. Diet. Suppl. 1813.— Nott. Man. li, 1834, 269.— AuD. Orn. Biog. 

 V, 1839, 127, pi. 410; Synop. 1839, 316; B. Am. vii, 1844, 81, pi. 430.— OoUES, Key, 1872, 319; 

 Check List. 1873, No. 560; 2ded 1882, No. 792.— ElDGW. Norn. N. Am. B. 18S1, No. 679.— 

 B. B. & B. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 277. 

 ffeioo/ieZidon onpZioa BoNAP. Oomp. List. 1838, 61.— CoTjES, Proc. Acad. Nat. 8ci. Phlla. 



1862, 636 (critical). 

 Sterna {Gelochelidon) anglica Couis, B. N. W. 1874, 664. 

 Sterna aranea WiLS. Am. Orn. vill, 1814, 143, pi. 72, flg. 6.— Laws, in Balrd's B. N. Am. 1868. 869, 

 — BAiBD.Oat. N. Am. B. 18:9, No. 681. 



*Beoorded In the Bulletin of the Nuttall Omithologieal Oluh, VoL 1, 1876, p. 41. 



