004. BIRDS—LARID&. 
i) 
Habitat, Europe. Eastern North America generally. Bahamas. Breeds variously in 
its North American range; winters in the United States north to 57° ; passes beyond 
Texas. | , 
Common spring and fall migrant, perhaps not common summer resident 
on Lake Erie, less common or irregular throughout the State. In this 
vicinity the Common Tern is most frequently seen in spring, when it 
sometimes appears in considerable flocks on our river. In the fall a 
solitary individual sometimes lingers for several days.. Mr. Langdon 
mentions its rather common occurrence on Sandusky Bay in summer. 
The appearance of any of the birds of this family in the interior of the 
State is so irregular and transient, as to render their study a matter of 
uncertainty, if not accident, except upon the shore of Lake Erie, Mr. 
William Brewster (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv, 1879, 18) is so felicitous 
in his paper “On the Terns of the New England Coast,” that I trust I 
need make no apology for giving it here entire: 
‘‘ Among all the sea-birds that with the changing seasons visit our New England shores 
there are none half so beautifal as the Terns, or Sea-Swallows. Family Laride, sub- 
family Sternine, gonus Sterna,—ihus thoy are classed in the books. What a pity their 
names could not have been more aptly chosen! There is much in a name, and Sterna 
sounds hard and cold. Nor is the English appellation, Tern, a whit more appropriate 
or beautiful. Why could not these birds of graceful motion and faultless coloring have 
borne the name of Aphrodite? Perhaps like her they were evolved from the sea-foam. 
No sea-foam can be purer than their spotless breasts, and the softest tints of the 
summer sky are impressed upon their pearly mantles. If ever birds were born of the sea 
surely they arethese. The delicate rosy blush of at least one species must have been 
borrowed from some rareshell. But Science, plodding and realistic, frowns upon such 
imagery, and her solid columns of facts and figures are resistless. 
“‘ Occurring more or less regularly along the coast of New England, we find eleven — 
species of Terns, all of which, with one possible exception (Sterna caspia), are either 
summer residents or migratory during the spring or fall months. Of this number five 
species may be set down as accidental visitors, which are either blown from their course 
by adverse winds or wander beyond the usual range. The Royal Tern (Sterna maxima), 
the Marsh Tern (S. anglica), the Sandwich Tern (8. cantiaca), and the Sooty Tern (S. 
Juliginosa) are stragglers from the South, while the Forster’s Tern (S. forstert), breeding 
in the interior well up into the fur countries, probably strikes across to the coast and 
follows its indentation southward. The last-named species, though rare, is of perhaps 
too regular occurrence to be classed among the accidentals, for one or two specimens 
are reported nearly every season, usually during the month of September. 
‘“‘The Caspian Tern—all previous statements to the contrary—must be considered a 
regular visitor every season, and by no means uncommon. They come down from their 
northern breeding-grounds during the latter part of September and for several weeks, 
at least, are to be found in moderate numbers all along ourseaboard. I have observed 
them at various points from Ipswich to Nantucket. At the latter place, upon one occa- 
sion, six individuals were seen fishing in the harbor near the town. As to their winter- 
ing within New England limits, I can offer only negative evidence, but that points to 
the inference that they pass farther south with the approach of severe weather. During 
