478 
STERNA MACROURA. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs , placed on the ground in sandy places, three or four in number, oval in form, varying from nearly pure white, 
through green, to deep-brown in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown, umber, and lilac of varying shades. 
D imensions from l‘05xl‘40 to I‘25x1*80. 
HABITS. 
Forster’s Tern is very common in Florida in winter, frequenting the inland waters as 
well as the coast. They are then in the dress which was formerly known as Havell’s Tern, 
but they moult in April, assuming the black head of the summer plumage. In spring, they 
gather on the sand-bars of Indian River, in great numbers, in company with other mem¬ 
bers of the genus. The notes have some resemblance to those of the preceding species, but 
are easily recognized, being somewhat harsher. Forster’s Terns breed on the Great Lakes 
of the interior but are occasionally found on the New England coast in autumn. 
STERNA MACROURA. 
Arctic Tern. 
Sterna macroura Naum., Isis, 1819. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sr. Ch. Form, rather slender. Size, medium. Bill, slender. Bottom of feet, roughened. Color. Adult. Rath¬ 
er dark ashy-blue throughout, becoming lighter on throat. Under portion of wings, rump, and tail, white, the last hav¬ 
ing some of the outer webs dusky. Primaries, dusky, white on two thirds of inner webs. Top of head to lower eyelid and 
occiput, black. Iris, brown, bill and feet, coral-red. In winter , the anterior portion of head becomes more or lass white. 
Young. Similar to winter adult but with shoulders dusky, back obscurely banded with dusky and reddish, and white be¬ 
neath. Bill, black, and feet, yellow. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
The young with the white forehead and dusky shoulders which were hatched late and which apparently failed to moult 
the following spring have been described as Sterna Portlandica. Known in the adult stage by the medium size and slender 
red bill and the young, by the abruptly white rump, short tarsus and roughened feet. Distributed, in summer, from Vir¬ 
ginia to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Winters south of the United States. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 14*25; stretch, 27‘95; wing, 1(>*88; tail, 6‘85; bill, 1 *30; tarsus, ‘65. 
Longest specimen, 17 00; greatest extent of wing, 32*15; longest wing, ll - 75; tail, 8‘30, bill, 1*36; tarsus, 371. Shortest 
specimen, 11-50; smallest extent of wing, 23‘75; shortest wing, 10‘00; tail, 6‘00; bill, 1*25; tarsus, ‘60. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs, placed on the ground in sandy places, three or four in number, oval in form, varying from nearly pure white to 
deep brown in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown, umber, and lilac of varying shades. Dimensions from 
1 ‘05 x 1‘40 to l‘25x 1‘80. 
HABITS. 
I think the name, Arctic Tern, has been misapplied to the present species, for as far 
as my observations extend, it is not nearly as northern in distribution, at least on our side 
of the Atlantic, as the Common Tern. Thus, I found these birds rare on the Magdalens, 
where the others were abundant, and collections that I have examined, from Labrador and 
northward, contained nothing but Common, although almost invariably labeled as Arctic. 
The Arctic Terns breed along the coast of New England, almost always placing the eggs 
on the naked sand, and appear especially fond of sand-bars that are entirely destitute of 
vegetation. In habits and time of breeding, they closely resemble the Common Tern, and 
the notes of the two species are nearly alike. 
STERNA DOUGALLI. 
Roseate Tern. 
Sterna Dougalli Mont., Orn. Diet. Sup., 1813. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sr. Cn. Form, slender. Size, medium. Bill, long and slender. Color. Adult. Above, pale ashy-blue, lightest 
on neck and tail. Outer tail feathers, white. Primaries, dusky on outer webs and on inner next the shaft. Beneath. 
