SHORT-TAILED TERN. 379 



SHOKT-TAILED TEEN. (Sterna plumbea.) 



PLATE LX.— Fig. 3. 



Peale's Museum, No. 3519. 



STERNA JSriGBA.—lANNMVS.* 



Sterna plumbea, Bonap. Nomencl. No. 244. — Sterna nigra, Bonap. Synop. p. 355. 



A specimen of this bird was first sent me by Mr Beasley of 

 Cape May ; but being in an imperfect state, I could form no 

 correct notion of the species, sometimes supposing it might 

 be a young bird of the preceding tern. Since that time, how- 

 ever, I have had an opportunity of procuring a considerable 

 number of this same kind, corresponding almost exactly with 

 each other. I have ventured to introduce it in this place as 

 a new species ; and have taken pains to render the figure in 

 the plate a correct likeness of the original. 



On the 6th of September 1812, after a violent north-east 

 storm, which inundated the meadows of Schuylkill in many 

 places, numerous flocks of this tern all at once made their 

 appearance, flying over those watery spaces, picking up grass- 

 hoppers, beetles, spiders, and other insects, that were floating 

 on the surface. Some hundreds of them might be seen at the 

 same time, and all seemingly of one sort. They were busy, 

 silent, and unsuspicious, darting down after their prey without 

 hesitation, though perpetually harassed by gunners, whom the 

 novelty of their appearance had drawn to the place. Several 

 flocks of the yellow-shanks snipe, and a few purres, appeared 



* C. L. Bonaparte remarks, — u S. 'plumbea is evidently, even judging 

 only by Wilson's figure and description, no other than the young of the 

 European S. nigra, of which so many nominal species had already been 

 made. Indeed, so evident did the matter appear to us, even before we 

 compared the species, that we cannot conceive why this hypothesis did 

 not strike every naturalist, particularly as the S. nigra is well known to 

 inhabit these States, though not noticed by Wilson in its adult dress. 

 It is a singular fact that we hardly observed one adult among twenty 

 young, which were common in the latter part of summer at Long Beach, 

 New York."— Ed. 



