m Manitoba to Texas and along the
South Atlantic coast. The eggs are laid in a hollow on the dry grassy
portions of the islands or marshes. They generally lay three eggs and
rarely four. They are buffy or brownish spotted with dark brown and
lilac. Size 1.80 x 1.30. Data.--Cobb's Island, Va., June 8, 1887. Eggs
in a hollow on grassy bank. Collector, F. H. Judson.

70. COMMON TERN. _Sterna hirundo._

Range.--Eastern North America, breeding both on the coast and in the
interior from the Gulf States northward.

This bird differs from the preceding chiefly in having a bright red bill
tipped with black, and the under parts washed with pearl. These are the
most common Terns on the New England coast, nesting abundantly from
Virginia to Newfoundland. These beautiful Terns, together with others of
the family, were formerly killed by thousands for millinery purposes,
but the practice is now being rapidly stopped. In May and June they lay
their three, or sometimes four eggs on the ground as do the other Terns.
They are similar to the preceding species but average shorter.
Data.--Duck Is., Maine, June 30, 1896. Three eggs in marsh grass about
fifty feet from beach. No nest. Collector, C. A. Reed.

[Illustration 055: Brownish buff.]
[Illustration: Forsters Tern. Common Tern.]
[Illustration: Buff.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 54

71. ARCTIC TERN. _Sterna paradisaea._

Range.--Northern Hemisphere, breeding from New England northward to the
Arctic Regions and wintering south to California and the South Atlantic
States. A similar bird to the last, differing in having the bill wholly
red and the feet being smaller and weak for the size of the bird. A more
northern bird than the last, breeding abundantly in Alaska, both on the
coast and in the interior. In the southern limits of its breeding range,
it nests in company with the Common Tern, its nests and eggs being
indistinguishable from the latter. When their nesting grounds are
approached, all the birds arise like a great white cloud, uttering their
harsh, discordant "tearrr, tearrr," while now and then an individual,
bolder than the rest, will swoop close by with an angry "crack." On the
whole they are timid birds, keeping well out of reach. The nesting
season is early in June. Eggs like the preceding. Data.--Little Duck
Is., Me., June 29, 1896. Three eggs in a slight hollow on the beach,
three feet above high water mark.

72. ROSEATE TERN. _Sterna dougalli._