Journal and Proceedings of the Hamilton Association

bay opposite Dynes' place. In the fall they pay a similar visit, but at this season they are less attractive in appearance, the bill having lost much of its brilliancy, and the plumage being comparatively dull.

21. STERNA SANDVICENSIS ACUFLAVIDA (CABOT.). 67.

Cabot's Tern.

Bill rather longer than the head, slender, black, with the tip yellow, mouth inside, deep blue; feet, black; wings longer than the tail, which is deeply forked; upper part of the head and hind neck, bluish-black; sides of the head, neck all round, and rest of the lower parts, white; the sides and breast tinged with pink; fore part of the back, scapulars and upper surface of the wings pale bluish-gray, the tips and greater part of the inner web of the scapulars and quills, white, as are the rump and tail; the four outer quills blackish, but covered with light gray down on the outer webs, and over a considerable portion of the inner, their shafts white. Length, 15-16; wing, 12-50. Eggs, two to three, dropped on the dry sand, rather pointed, yellowish drab, spotted with dark and reddish brown.

The usual habitat of this species is so far to the south of us that I would hesitate to include it in this list, but for the conclusive evidence we have of its being taken within our limits.

In the spring of 1882, Dr. Garnier noticed three terns of this species coursing around a mill-pond not far from his residence. at Lucknow. The Dr. attended to them at once, the result was that one went clear off toward Lake Huron, another wriggled with difficulty after it, and the third fell dead on the pond. I afterward saw this specimen mounted, and satisfied myself of its identity. It is difficult to account for birds wandering away at times beyond their usual limit, yet we might with as much truth say that it is difficult to account for birds so regularly keeping within certain limits, but when those of this class find themselves farther from home than they intended, it does not cost them much labour to correct the mistake.

SUBGENUS STERNA.

22. STERNA FORSTERI NUTT. 69.

Forster's Tern.

Like the next; larger, tail longer than wings. Wing of adult, 91--101 ; tail, 64--8, thus often beyond the extreme of hirundo, and nearly as in

About the middle of May this dainty little Gull arrives in small flocks, and for a week or two enlivens the shores of the Bay with its airy gambols, but soon passes on farther north to its breeding grounds. In the fall it returns, subdued in dress and manners, remains till the weather begins to get cold, and then retires to the South to spend the winter.

It has a wide distribution, being found at some period of the year at almost every point on the continent. Speaking of this species in the "Birds of the Northwest," Dr. Coues says: This little Gull holds its own, from the Labrador crags, against which the waves of an angered ocean ceaselessly beat, to the low, sandy shores of the Gulf, caressed by the soothing billows of a tropical sea."

SUBFAMILY STERNINÆ TERNS.

GENUS STERNA LINNEUS.

SURGENUS THALASSEUS BOIE.

20. STERNA TSCHEGRAVA LEPECH. 64.

Caspian Tern.

Adult male; Crown, sides of the head, and hind head, black, glossed with green, back and wings, light bluish-gray, the outer primaries dark bluish-gray on the inner webs, upper tail coverts and tail grayish-white, neck and lower parts pure white, bill rich vermilion, legs and feet black, tail slightly forked Young mottled and barred with dull brown. Length 20 inches.

HAB. Nearly cosmopolitan; in North America breeding southward to Virginia, Lake Michigan, Nevada, and California.

Eggs, two, laid in a hollow in the sand; pale olive buff, marked with spots of dark brown.

The harsh cry, long pointed wings, and coral red bill of this species, at once attract the attention of any one who may happen to be close enough for observation. In spring, when at liberty to move about, they visit Hamilton Bay in small numbers, and are seen fishing, about the mouths of the inlets or more frequently basking in the sun on a sandy point which runs out into the

21. STERNA SANDVICENSIS ACUFLAVIDA (CABOT.). 67.

Cabot's Tern.

Eggs, two to three, dropped on the dry sand, rather pointed, yellowish drab, spotted with dark and reddish brown.

The usual habitat of this species is so far to the south of us that I would hesitate to include it in this list, but for the conclusive evidence we have of its being taken within our limits.

In the spring of 1882, Dr. Garnier noticed three terns of this species coursing around a mill-pond not far from his residence at Lucknow. The Dr. attended to them at once, the result was that one went clear off toward Lake Huron, another wriggled with difficulty after it, and the third fell dead on the pond. I afterward saw this specimen mounted, and satisfied myself of its identity. It is difficult to account for birds wandering away at times beyond their usual limit, yet we might with as much truth say that it is difficult to account for birds so regularly keeping within certain limits, but when those of this class find themselves farther from home than they intended, it does not cost them much labour to correct the mistake.

SUBGENUS STERNA.

22. STERNA FORSTERI NUTT. 69.

Forster's Tern.

Like the next; larger, tail longer than wings. Wing of adult, 91--10: tail, 64--8, thus often beyond the extreme of hirundo, and nearly as in

paradisaea; bill, 1 (1-1), and about 2-5 deep at base (in hirundo rarely if ever so deep); tarsus seldom down to ; whole foot, about 2. Little or no plumbeous wash below; inner web of the outer tail feather darker than outer web of the same Young and winter birds may be distinguished from hirundo at gunshot range; the black cap is almost entirely wanting, and in its place is a broad black band an each side of the head through the eye; several lateral tail feathers are largely dusky on the inner webs; their outer webs are white.

HAB. North America generally, breeding from Manitoba southward, in the United States to Virginia, Illinois, Texas, and California; in winter southward to Brazil.

Eggs, two to three, drab, blotched and spotted with brown of different shades.

Said to breed in suitable places from Texas to the Fur countries; on Lake Ontario it is only a casual visitor in spring and fall, but it breeds abundantly in the marshes along the River St. Clair. In general appearance it bears a close resemblance to the next species, but the difference is readily seen by referring to the peculiar markings of the tail feathers.

23. STERNA HIRUNDO LINN. 70.

Common Tern.

Bill red, blackening on the terminal third, the very point usually light, feet coral red. Mantle pearly grayish-blue; primary shafts white except at the end; below white, washed with pale pearly plumbeous blanching on throat and lower belly. Tail mostly white, the outer web of the outer feather darker than inner web of the same. Length of male, 14 (13--16); extent, 31 (29--32); wing, 101 (92--113); tail, 6 (5--7); tarsus, ‡ (§--7); bill, iż--1; whole foot, averaging 13; female rather less; averaging toward these minima; young birds may show a little smaller, in length of tail particularly, and so of total length; length, 12 or more; wing, 9 or more; tail, 4 or more; bill, 1 or more In winter this species does not appear to lose the black-cap, contrary to a nearly universal rule. Young :-Bill mostly dusky, but much of the under mandible yellowish; feet simply yellowish; cap more or less defective; back and wings patched and barred with grey and light brown, the bluish showing imperfectly if at all, but this color shading much of the tail; usually a blackish bar along the lesser coverts, and several tail feathers dusky on the outer web; below, pure white, or with very little plumbeous shade.

HAB. Greater part of Northern hemisphere and Africa. In North America chiefly confined to the Eastern Province, breeding from the Arctic coast, somewhat irregularly, to Florida and Texas, and wintering northward to Virginia.

Eggs, two or three deposited in a hollow in the sand, light brown, tinged with green and blotched with dark brown.

The Sea Swallow, as this species has often been called, is common to both continents, and has been found breeding as far north as Greenland and Spitzbergen; its return to its summer haunts is hailed as a sure indication that winter is really gone, and for a time many a quiet bay and inlet is enlivened by its

presence.

"Swift by the window skims the Tern,

On light and glancing wing,

And every sound which rises up

Gives token of the Spring."

At Hamilton Bay it makes its appearance about the 10th of May, and in company with the black-headed Gulls, in merry groups go careering around the shores, or settle on the sand bars to rest and plume their feathers in the sun. By the end of the month they have all gone to the St. Clair marshes or some such place to raise their young; again paying us a short visit in the Fall on their way South.

24. STERNA PARADISÆA BRUNN. 71.

Arctic Tern.

Bill, carmine; Feet, vermillion; plumage, like that of Hirundo, but much darker below, the plumbeous wash so heavy that these parts are scarcely paler than the mantle; crissum, pure white; throat and sides of the neck, white or tinged with gray. In winter, cap defective; in young the same, upper parts patched with gray, brown or rufus; under parts paler or white; a dark bar on the wing; outer webs of several tail feathers, dusky; bill blackish or dusky red with yellow on the under mandible; feet, dull orange, smaller than hirundo, but tail much longer, Length, 14-17; wing, 10-12; tail 5-8; bill, 1.20-1.40.

HAB. Northern hemisphere; in North America breeding from Massachussetts to the Arctic Regions, and wintering southward to Virginia and California.

Eggs 2 to 3; laid on the bare rock; drab, spotted and dashed with brown of different shades.

For several reasons the Terns which visit Ontario are less known than birds belonging to other classes; they are not sought after by sportsmen, and at present the number of collect

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Journal and Proceedings of the Hamilton Association: 1882-1886