232 THE CONDOR Vol. XXI 
by representatives from the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, from 
September 18 until November 7. Messrs. Halsted G. White, Joseph Dixon and 
J. Grinnell constituted the party, and one or more of these collectors worked in 
the immediate vicinity of Morro during the entire time. For a portion of this 
period the Elegant Tern proved to be a fairly common water bird on Morro 
Bay, or else on the outside ocean beach. The first one was positively identified 
on September 22, the last on October 4. Field notes follow. 
September 22: One shot from company with six Reyal Terns flying over the 
breakers of sea-beach, about two miles north of Morro (H. G. W.). On Morro Bay close 
to Morro, many terns seen, but not closely, of three sizes, the middle-sized one believed 
to be the Elegant (J. G.). 
September 23: Around sandbar in Morro Bay, one Elegant Tern seen in a bunch 
of about twenty Royal Terns. The bill of the latter looked to be darker orange at base. 
Elegant appeared midway in size between Forster and Royal. No “rosy flush” could be 
seen in the plumage of the Elegant, even within forty yards, in strong sunlight, and with 
the aid of binoculars (J. D.). 
September 27: One shot from company of about thirteen Royal Terns flying along 
sea-beach north of Morro. The bird was recognized by its smaller size, and at a dist- 
ance of about twenty yards the pink coloring beneath was noticed. In flight it looked 
like a Royal Tern but seemed ‘“‘more airy”, or more graceful. It more often “cut figures 
in the sky’, in other words it was slightly less heavy on the wing, this perhaps due 
merely to its smaller size (H. G. W.). 
September 28: Along the sea-beach two miles north cf Morro, thirty-two terns 
were encountered. Four of these were Forster, about twenty were Royal, and about 
eight were Elegant. The collector used a dead Willet as a decoy, and by throwing this 
into the air and letting it splash in the water, three of the Elegant Terns were brought 
into shot-gun range and secured. In this case it seemed that of the three species of 
tern, the Elegant showed the most curiosity (H. G. W.). Also one seen flying “just out 
of range, over the spit” opposite Morro (J. D.). 
September 29: Two seen along sea-beach within two miles north of Morro (H. G. 
W.). Flock of about twenty-five seen on the Bay close to Morro. One shot. Pink 
bloom ‘“‘not visible even when the birds were within easy shot-gun range” (J. D.). 
October 1: Elegant Terns, in company with Arctic, kept flying about sandbar in 
Morro Bay during visit there (J. D.). 
October 2: One Elegant secured at sandbar in Bay out of a mixed company of 
Royal, Elegant and Arctic, about one hundred in all (J. D.). 
October 4: On sandbar in Morro Bay: terns wild; of these the Royal, Elegant 
and Arctic took flight in about the order named (J. D.). 
As regards marks for field identification, there seems to be no outstanding 
positive feature by which the Elegant Tern may be distinguished at any ordi- 
nary distance from its congeners, unless conditions be such that relative size 
is determinable. From the notes of the field collectors just quoted, it is to be 
inferred that the pink blush of the lower surface can be seen clearly only under 
very exceptional circumstances. The relative slenderness of the bill of the 
Klegant might be used, if the proportions of this member in the Royal be vivid- 
ly in mind or if birds of the two species be seen contemporaneously within 
short range. 
Relative size is quite positively diagnostic of the Elegant, if other sea- 
coast frequenting species of terns be in sight at the same time. Roughly, 
elegans is a large tern, yet decidedly smaller than its usual associate, the Royal. 
Some exact figures will here be instructive. Weight is, of course, a much more 
accurate index of the volume or ‘‘bulk’’ of a bird, generally speaking, than is 
any measurement such as total length or length of closed wing. The seven 
