LARID^E—THE GULLS AND TEENS. 249 



Only one species of this genua belongs properly to North 

 America, although a single specimen of a European species was 

 'taken at Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin, by the late Professor 

 Thure Kumlien, July 5, 1873. 



The common North American bird has been generally referi'ed 

 to the European M. nigra (Linn.), but is so different that little, 

 if any, harm would be done by considering it a distinct species.* 



Hydrochelidon nigra surinameusis (Gmel.) 



BLACK TEBN. 

 Fopnlar synonyms. Amerloan Blaok Tern; Short-tailed Tern; Golondrina de mar (Mexico). 



Sterna surinamensis O-mbl. 8. N. i, pt. ii, 1788, 604. 



Bydrochelidon surinamensis Bonap. Compt. Bend. 1856, 773. 

 Hydrochelidon lariformis surinamensis Kidgw. Nom. N. Am. B, 1881, No. 693. 

 Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis Stbjn. Proe. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol 6, 1882, 40.— 'B. B. 

 & K. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884. 318.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 77.— BiDGW. Man. N. 

 Am. B. 1887, 47 

 Sterna plumljea Wils. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 83, pi. 83 (young). 



Hydrocheliddn plumieahAM^. in Baird'a B. N. Am. 1858. 864.— BaieB, Cat. N. Am. B. 



1869, No. 695. 



Sierwa mora S-w. &ElOH.F.B.-A.|(i, 1831, 415 (neo Linn.).— NuTT. Man. ii, 1834, 282.— AUD. 



Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 593; v, 1839. 642, pi. 180; Synop. 1839, 320; B. Am. vii. 1844, 116, pi. 438. 



Hydrochelidon nigra (part) Saunders, P. Z. S. 1878, 642. 



Hydrochelidon Ussipes (part) CouES, Proo. Aoad. Nat. Soi. Phila. 1862, 554 (neo Sterna 



flssipes Linn.); Key, 1872, 323; Check List, 1873, No. 575. 

 Hydrochelidon lariformis (part) CouES, B. N. W. 1874, 704 (neo Rallus lariformis Linn.) ; 

 2d Check List, 1882, No. 806.— Eidqw. Orn. 40th Par. 1877. 640. 



Hab. The whole of temperate North America, and portions of tropical America; north 

 to Alaska, south to Chili; breeds nearly throughoutits North American range, except along 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



Sp. Chap. Adult, in summer: Head, neck, and lower parts sooty black, the head and 

 neck, especially above, nearly pure black; anal region and orissum pure white. Entire 

 upper parts uniform plumbeous, the border of the wing, from the shoulders to the carpo- 

 metacarpal joint, white. Lining of the wing light plumbeous-gray. Bill deep blaok, the 

 riotuslake-red,theinterior of the mouth pinkish; iris dark brown; legs and feet purplish 

 dusky. Adult, in winter: Head, neck, and lower parts piire white; orbital and auricular 

 regions dusky ; crown and occiput dark grayish, the feathers bordered with paler. Upper 

 parts as in the summer plumage, but rather paler plumbeous. Young, first plumage: Very 

 similar to the winter plumage, bat scapulars, interscapulars, and tertials tipped with raw 

 umber brown, the anterior lesser wing coverts dusky, the crown, occiput, and upper part 

 of the nape dusky, and the entire sides washed with plumbeous. Downy young: Above, 

 deep, soft umber-brown, wiljh a few coarse, irregular marblings of blaok; forehead, crown, 

 throat, and chest more sooty brown, without markings ; sides of the head (including lores) 

 dull whitish; abdomen white centrally, pale sooty grayish exteriorly .+ 



* See Water Birds of North America, vol. ii, p. 320, 



+ From No. 77,564, Cgld Springs. Cal., July ?7, 1$77; H. V, Hbnshaw. collector, 



—32 



