Nov., 1919 THE ELEGANT TERN AS A BIRD OF CALIFORNIA 233 
specimens of Elegant Tern listed in the accompanying table show an average 
weight of 232 grams. Five specimens of Royal Tern shot at about the same 
time and place gave an average weight of 489 grams. One example of the 
~ Common Tern weighed 113 grams. The other terns in the vicinity at the time 
the Elegant Terns were met with at Morro Bay were the Arctic and Forster, 
but unfortunately weights of these were not secured. The last two, however, 
show about the dimensions of the Common and may be inferred to weigh about 
the same. As to relative size, then, the Elegant Tern is about half the bulk of 
the Royal, and yet about twice that of the Common, Arctic or Forster. In 
other words, the Elegant is fairly midway in size between the Royal and the 
tern next smaller than itself—obviously a good criterion for recognition when 
any of the species in question are about. 
As to behavior, elegans is a typical tern. One observer quoted above thinks 
that it is more ‘‘airy’’ or graceful in flight than its heavier associate mazima. 
But I confess my own inability to note any decided difference in this respect. 
Relative size remains the best mark for field identification. 
Color notes on Sterna elegans were taken by Mr. H. G. White from fresh 
specimens by direct comparison with the plates in a copy of Ridgway’s Color 
Standards and Color Nomenclature, with results as follows: 
No. 29579: Bill chiefly coral red, becoming straw yellow towards tip, yellowest 
at extreme tip. Feet and legs sepia, save for spots of orange on hinder side of tarsus, 
and same color on soles of all toes. Iris hazel. 
No. 29580: Bill ochraceous-orange at base, becoming yellow ocher at tip. Feet 
and legs black; soles of toes spotted with yellow ocher. Iris hazel. 
No. 29581: Bill bittersweet orange at base, antimony yellow at tip. Feet and 
legs black; tarsus behind, toes, and webs, blotched with bittersweet orange. Iris hazel. 
No. 29582: Bill grenadine at base, becoming antimony yellow at tip. Feet and 
legs black, tarsus solidly so; soles of toes blotched with dull orange. Tris hazel. 
No. 29583: Bill salmon color, becoming antimony yellow at tip. Feet and legs 
black, blotched all the way up, from soles of toes to tibia, with salmon color. Iris hazel. 
With drying, the above colors have changed intrinsically but little. Now, 
after one year has elapsed, there is a general dingy tone, and in the ease of no. 
29583, which had the bill palest of the five, the red tone, weak at best, has 
faded out so that the whole bill is dingy vellow ocher. Nos. 29577 and 29578, 
which were not color-matched when fresh, are also of this yellow-billed type, 
decidedly different from the reddish orange tone of bill in the other four spe- 
cimens. With this variation in color of bill in evidence it becomes impossible 
to use this feature as a field mark. 
As regards color of legs and feet, none of our birds has these members sol- 
idly black, but they are more or less spotted or blotched with approximately 
the color of the bill. Ridgway (Birds N. and Mid. Amer., vi, 1919, p. 472) 
says, ‘‘legs and feet black’’. Coues (Key, 5th ed., 1903, p. 1007) says: ‘‘ Feet 
black; soles and under surfaces of claws slightly yellowish’’. This latter state- 
ment more nearly agrees with the condition of our birds. 
As to plumage, the Morro series agrees with Ridgway’s description (loe. 
cit.) of what he terms the ‘‘post-nuptial (?) plumage’’. Note the question- 
mark. Neither am I able to decide definitely as to age. All seven of our birds 
are in the same stage, whatever it may be, and all seem to have completed a 
molt recently. The tail tips are but little, or not at all, worn. In all of the 
skins there is the eosine pink blush on the underparts, this involving not only 
