The Elegant Tern 



In its own person the Royal Tern bridges the gap between the mo- 

 notokous terns of the tropics, and the more prolific breeders of the tem- 

 perate zone, for in the southern portion of its breeding range, the West 

 Indies, T. maximus deposits but a single egg on the bare sand, while in the 

 Carolinas and in Virginia it lays two or even three eggs in a clutch. 



Taken in Santa Barbara 



A FLIGHT OF ROYAL TERNS 



Photo by the Author 



No. 285 



Elegant Tern 



A. O. U. No. 66. Thalasseus elegans (Gambel). 



Description. — Adult in summer: Very similar to preceding species, but smaller 

 and with much slenderer bill; white of underparts flushed with rosy; wing pattern as in 

 preceding (?) (So Coues; but the only Berkeley specimen, #18382, a male, taken at 

 Monterey, Oct. 27, 1910, has the three outer primaries almost destitute of silvery 

 — plain blackish instead); tail deeply forked, pure white. Bill bright red, changing to 

 salmon on tip; feet and legs black. Adult in whiter: Black of head reduced as in 

 T. maximus; rosy flush of underparts reduced or wanting; tail marked with pearl-gray, 

 not so long by an inch or so. Young said to resemble those of T. maximus. Length 

 in summer up to 482.6 (19.00), of which tail 190.5 (7.50), forked 88.9 (3.50); in winter 

 406.4-431.8 (16.00-17.00), of which tail 133.3 (5- 2 5)» forked 63.5-76.2 (2.50-3.00); wing 

 317.5 (12.50) ; bill 63.5 (2.50) ; depth at base 12.7 (.50) ; tarsus 31.75 (1.25). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow size; a middle-sized tern, to be distinguished from 

 its smaller congeners by its relatively larger and longer, bright red bill, and from 

 T. maximus by smaller size and much slenderer proportions of beak. 



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