LEAST TERN. 
74. Sterna antillar-um. 9 inches. 
Th is is the smallest of our Terns; not much larger than a 
swallow and in flight are much the same, darting through the air, 
taking insects the same as swallows, or dipping into the water 
for small minnows that are showing themselves near the surface. 
Nest.- —Simply a depression in the sand or gravel just above 
the water line, with two to four creamy white eggs beautifully 
marked with different shades of brown and lilac (1.25x.95). 
Range. —Throughout the United States to northern South 
America, breeding abundantly on the coast of southern Cali¬ 
fornia. 
BLACK TERN. 
77. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. 10 inches. 
We always think of the Terns as light colored birds, either 
white or ideally; but here we have one nearly black. Adults 
in summer having the head, neck and under parts black, with 
the back, wings and tail gray. 
Nest.- —Their nesting habits vary also as much as their color. 
Nests are of weeds and grass in the sloughs on the prairies. 
Two to four eggs are a dark greenish brown with black spots 
(1.35 x.95). 
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