THE GOItliECTORS' JBONTHIiY. 



Devoted to Ornithology, Oology and Natural History. 



Notes on the Birds of Lon<* 

 Island. 



WITH BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OK EACH SPECIES- 



BY \V. \V. WORTHINGTON. 



(24. ) 64. SterfUl tschegrcroa: 



Caspian Tern. (6§0.) 



"Crown, sides of head, and occiput 

 black, glossed with green. This color ex- 

 tends below the eye, under which is a nar- 

 row white line. Back and wings light 

 bluish-ash. Quill shafts strong and white. 

 Tail and its upper coverts grayish white. 

 Neck aud entire under plumage pure 

 white. Bill and inside of mouth bright 

 vermillion. Legs and feet black. Bill 

 very stout. Tail not deeply forked. 

 Length 21 1-2 inches. 



Specimen of adult and young are in my 

 cabinet, obtained on the south shore 

 of Long Islaud'* (Baird). During a col- 

 lecting trip to Shinnecock Bay in Sept. 

 1882. I saw six individuals of this species. 

 None of the professional gunners about 

 the bay knew what they were, and but 

 few of them had ever seen them before. 

 * * * * The first specimen procured 

 Sept. 7th. was one of a pair, and adult 

 male, and a young bird, the former of 

 which came near enough for me to break 

 a wing and thus secure it. The next pair 

 wereseen and taken on the 13th. They too 

 were adult and young. Before they were 

 seen the harsh rolling cry of the adult 

 was heard, and also the sharp whistle of 

 the young bird. The old bird came near 

 enough to shoot, and my gunner called 

 back the young bird by imitating the 



whistle of the Esquimaux Curlew 

 Borealis), which was a perfect reprodnc- 



tion of its own cry. The third pair I si* 

 on a sand bar at Shinnecock Inlet, they 

 were in company with some Herring 

 Gulls! They were also adult and young. 

 (Butcher). I have never met with this 

 widely distributed specie* at the east end 

 of L. 1. 1 secured a pair, shot by my 

 partner Mr. M. B. drifting after I had 

 made an ineffectual shot at them, at 

 Sapelo Island. Ga., on Dec. 16, 1887. 

 This pair like all those mentioned by Mr. 

 Duteher. was an adult and young. Breeds 

 on some of the islands along the Atlantic 

 and Gulf coast and also at the great 

 lakes, in hollows in sand. Lays two or 

 three eggs, whitish to greenish ground, 

 spotted with different shades of brown 

 and lila... 2 3-4- x 1 3-4 in. 



A 75-CENT EGG. 



(first-class) To any person Bending 4 sn; - 

 ers at 30 cents each, ($1.30) Addr — 



Collector""* Monthly. 



Royal Tern. (681.) 



Above light pearly gray. Quills hoary 



on the outer webs, darkened on the inner. 

 Top of head, legs and feet black. The 

 feathers of the occiput lengthened into a 

 loose crest Onderparts pure glossy white. 

 Bill deep red. Length 21 in. 



Probably a rare summer visitor from 

 the South. It is on record from our 

 latitude and no doubt occurs rarely. 1 

 have never met with them alive at the 

 North, but on the south Atlantic coast 

 where thev are ihe most abundant mem- 



