The Royal Tern 



Bridge" in Ceylon; and certain islands at the head of the Persian Gulf 

 boast large colonies. 



The Caspian Terns breed in colonies of considerable size upon certain 

 of the federal reservations and elsewhere about the lakes of central 

 Oregon. The story of the association of this species with Larus calif or- 

 nicus, L. delawarensis, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, and others, will make 

 an epic of heroic proportions, but we will leave it to the skilled pen of 

 Mr. Finley in a prospective and hopeful "Birds of Oregon." It is worth 

 mention, though, that the American colonies of H. caspia seem to be 

 permanently separated from those of the Old World, and that the Ameri- 

 can birds do not go further south in winter than about the middle of the 

 Mexican coast. There is no record of the species from Central or South 

 America. 



No. 284 



Royal Tern 



A. 0. U. No. 65. Thalasseus maximus (Boddaert). 



Synonym. — Cayenne Tern. 



Description. — Adult in breeding plumage: Top of head, narrowly, including 

 eye, and lengthened occipital feathers, lustrous black; mantle pale pearl-blue, changing 

 to white on rump and inner webs of tertials; exposed primaries chiefly blackish as to 

 ground, but heavily plated with silvery gray, extensively white on concealed inner 

 webs; tail, deeply forked, palest pearl-gray-tinged. Bill rich coral-red or orange- 

 red, paling terminally; feet and legs black, soles yellow. Adult in winter: Similar, 

 but forehead and lores chiefly white, and feathers of crown and nape decreasingly 

 bordered with white; tail duller and lateral feathers reduced in length. Young of the 

 year: Top of head much as in adult in winter, but occipital crest undeveloped; re- 

 maining upperparts chiefly white, or with irregular irruptions of pearl-gray, and marked 

 with small brown spots on back, and especially the inner secondaries. Tail with 

 plumbeous and brownish. Length of adult 457.2-506 (18. 00-20.00) ; wing 355.6-381 

 (14.00-15.00); tail 152.4-203.2 (6.00-8.00); forked for 76.2-101.6 (3.00-4.00); bill 

 61. -69. 9 (2.40-2.75); depth at base 20 (.79); tarsus 135 (5.32). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size, but much more elongated and graceful pro- 

 portions; deeply forked tail and conspicuous red bill serve to distinguish from the 

 gulls with which it is likely to be associated in winter; larger and with stouter bill than 

 T. elegans. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in California. Nests in colonies on bare sand or 

 beach shingle. Eggs: 2 or 3, single in tropical latitudes; ovate, palest olive-buff to 

 pinkish buff, boldly round-spotted or blotched or short-scrawled with black or brownish 

 black, the spots often shadowed by tawny olive. Av. size 63.5 x 44.5 (2.50 x 1. 75). 

 Season: March-July, according to latitude; one brood. 



H39 



