A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

428. 1. Rhynchops nigra, Linn. Black Skimmer

Plate CCCXXIII. Male

Bill rich carmine in its basal half, the rest black; feet carmine; upper plumage deep brownish-black; secondary quills and four or five of the primaries tipped with white, the latter on the inner web chiefly; tail-feathers black, broadly margined on both sides with white, the outer more extensively; the middle tail-coverts black, the lateral black on the inner, and white on the outer web; a broad band of white over the forehead, extending to the fore part of the eye; cheeks and throat of the same colour; the rest of the neck, and lower parts in spring and autumn of a delicate cream-colour; axillary feathers, lower wing-coverts, and a large portion of the secondary quills, white, the coverts along the edge of the wing black. Female smaller, similar to the male, but with the tail-feathers white, excepting a longitudinal band including the shaft. After the first autumnal moult, there is on the hind part of the neck a broad band of white mottled with greyish-black; the lower parts pure white, the upper of a duller black; bill and feet less richly coloured.

Male, 20, 48. Female, 163/4, 441/2.

During winter, in vast multitudes on the coast of Florida. In summer dispersed in large flocks from Texas to New Jersey, breeding on sand beaches or islands. In the evenings and at night ascends streams sometimes to the distance of one hundred miles.

Black Skimmer or Shear-water, Rhynchops nigra, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 85.

Rhincops nigra, Bonap. Syn. p. 352.

Black Skimmer, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 264.

Black Skimmer or Razor-billed Shear-water, Rhynchops nigra, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 203.

GENUS II. STERNA, Linn. TERN

Bill longer than the head, rather stout or slender, nearly straight, compressed, very acute; upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched, the ridge rather broad and convex at the base, gradually narrowed toward the end, sides convex, edges sharp and direct, tip acute; nasal groove short; lower mandible with the angle very narrow, acute, extending to the middle, the dorsal line straight, the sides slightly convex, nearly erect, the sharp edges inflected, the tips very acute. Nostrils basal, lateral, linear, direct. Head rather large, oblong; neck of moderate length and thick; body slender. Feet short, moderately stout; tibia bare for a considerable space; tarsus short, roundish, covered all round with small scales; first toe very small, third longest, fourth a little shorter; anterior toes connected by emarginate webs. Claws slightly curved, compressed, acute. Plumage soft, close, blended, rather compact on the back and wings. Wings extremely long, narrow, and pointed, the first quill longest, the rest rapidly graduated. Tail long, generally forked, of twelve feathers. Tongue very slender, tapering, with the point slit; œsophagus extremely wide; proventricular belt complete; stomach rather small, moderately muscular, with the epithelium dense and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length, rather narrow; cœca small.

429. 1. Sterna Cayana, Lath. Cayenne Tern

Plate CCLXXIII. Male.

Bill longer than the head, stout; wings longer than the tail, which is moderately forked; bill carmine; feet black; upper part of the head and occiput greenish-black; back and wings light greyish-blue; primary quills bluish-grey on their outer webs, darker on the outer part of the inner, their inner part white, as are the ends and inner webs of the secondaries; upper tail-coverts and tail greyish-white; all the other parts pure white.

Male, 19, 44.

From Texas, in spring, to the Floridas, where it breeds on the Tortugas. Labrador, but not observed in the intermediate parts of the Atlantic coast. Abundant. Migratory.

Sterna cayana, Bonap. Syn. v. ii. p. 353.

Cayenne Tern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 208.

Cayenne Tern, Sterna cayana, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 505; v. v. p. 639.

430. 2. Sterna Anglica, Montagu. Gull-billed Tern. – Marsh Tern

Plate CCCCX. Male.

Bill about the length of the head, stout; wings longer than the tail, which is moderately forked; bill and feet black; upper part of the head and occiput greenish-black; sides of the head, fore neck, and all the lower parts, white; upper parts pale greyish-blue, edges of the wings whitish; primaries hoary on the outer web, deep grey on the inner, their shafts and those of the tail-feathers white; the tail of a paler tint than the back, and the outer feather nearly white.

Male, 14, 34.

Cosmopolite. In America, breeds from the mouth of the Mississippi to Connecticut. Not abundant. Migratory.

Marsh Tern, Sterna aranea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 143.

Sterna aranea, Bonap. Syn. p. 354.

Marsh Tern, Sterna anglica, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 269.

Marsh or Gull-billed Tern, Sterna anglica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 127.

431. 3. Sterna Cantiaca, Gmel. Sandwich Tern

Plate CCLXXIX. Adult.

Bill considerably longer than the head, rather slender, black, with the tips yellow; inside of mouth deep blue; feet black; wings longer than the tail, which is deeply forked; upper part of head and hind neck bluish-black; sides of head, neck all round, and the rest of the lower parts white, the sides and breast tinged with pink; fore part of back, scapulars, and upper surface of wings pale greyish-blue; the tips and greater part of the inner webs of the scapulars and quills white, as are the rump and tail; the four outer quills blackish, but covered with light grey down on the outer webs, and over a considerable extent of the inner, their shafts white. Young, after the first moult, of a light greyish-blue on the upper parts, the feathers tipped and banded in an undulating manner with brownish-black; the upper part of the head and hind neck brownish-black mottled with white; quills as in the adult; tail grey, with irregular blackish markings towards the tips of the feathers; lower parts of a much lighter pale grey; bill and feet black.

Adult, 153/4, 333/4.

From Texas, during spring and summer, to the Floridas, where it breeds in great numbers. Never observed in any other part of the coast of America. Migratory.

Sandwich Tern. Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 276.

Sandwich Tern, Sterna cantiaca, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 531.

432. 4. Sterna fuliginosa, Lath. Sooty Tern

Plate CCXXXV.

Bill slightly longer than the head, rather slender, and with the feet black; tail very deeply forked, much longer than the wings; forehead white; lores, upper part of head, hind neck, and all the upper parts deep black, tinged with brown, on the head glossed with blue; edges of wings and lateral tail-feathers white, the latter with the inner web toward the end dusky; lower parts and sides of head and neck pure white. Young with the lower parts and forehead white, the upper parts greyish-brown, the feathers edged with brownish-white, the primary quills greyish-black.

Male, 161/4, 343/4.

From Texas to the Floridas, in spring. Breeds in immense multitudes on the Tortugas. Migratory.

Sterna fuliginosa, Bonap. Syn. p. 355.

Sooty Tern, Sterna fuliginosa, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 145.

Sooty Tern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 284.

Sooty Tern, Sterna fuliginosa, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 263; v. v. p. 641.

433. 5. Sterna Hirundo, Linn. Common Tern

Plate CCCIX. Male.

Bill about the same length as the head, rather slender, bright coral-red, towards the end black, the tip light yellow; feet coral-red, lighter than the bill; wings slightly shorter than the tail, which is very deeply forked; upper part of head and hind neck half-way down, deep bluish-black, anteriorly tinged with brown; sides of head, fore neck, and all the lower parts white, with a slight tinge of greyish-blue on the breast; back, scapulars, and wings light greyish-blue; edges of wings, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, slightly tinged with grey; first primary with the outer web deep black, the shaft white, on the inner web a greyish-black band running along the shaft, narrow at the base, and widening, so as to occupy the whole breadth of the web for an inch at the end, where it is hoary; the next five with the outer web, and a varying portion of the inner in nearly their whole length hoary, but with a dusky shade, becoming more apparent at the end; the rest of the quills like the back, but margined and tipped with white; tail-feathers with the inner webs white, the outer of the colour of the back, paler on the middle feathers, gradually deepening outwards, and on the outer feathers dark grey. Young, in first plumage, with the bill dull greenish-black, its tip yellowish, feet greenish-yellow; upper parts chiefly light brown. In winter, the bill black, with the base pale orange, the tip yellowish, the feet orange-yellow; the colour of the plumage as in the adult, the forehead white, the rest of the head dusky, the upper parts having the feathers slightly margined with lighter.

Male, 16, 311/2.

Breeds from Galveston Islands along the shores of the Atlantic to Labrador, and as far north as Lat. 57°. Returns southward in autumn, passing beyond the Texas. Extremely abundant.

Great Tern, Sterna Hirundo, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 76.

Sterna Hirundo, Bonap. Syn. p. 354.

Sterna Hirundo, Great Tern, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 412.

Great or Common Tern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 271.

Common Tern, Sterna Hirundo, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 74.

434. 6. Sterna Havellii, Aud. Havell's Tern

Plate CCCCIX. Fig. 1. Adult.

Bill about the length of the head, rather stout; wings a little shorter than the tail, which is deeply forked. In winter, the bill black, towards the base brown, and a small portion of the tip yellowish; feet orange; a broad band of black surrounding the eye, and extending toward the nape; fore part of head, cheeks, and all the lower parts pure white; hind head and nape dusky grey, mixed with white; the rest of the upper parts light greyish-blue, excepting the rump, which is white; the primary coverts and quills, as well as the tail-feathers and their coverts, hoary, with the shafts white, but five of the quills dusky on the outer web, on the inner along the shaft, and on the inner margin toward the end. Young, in winter, with the bill somewhat shorter, and more tinged with brown, the lower parts, rump, outer web of lateral tail-feathers, and sides of neck, white; wings as in the adult, but the primaries internally margined with white, and the secondaries tipped with the same; upper part of the head, and the rest of the upper parts, light yellowish-brown, intermixed with greyish-blue; a band of black on the sides of the head, as in the adult.

Adult, 151/2, wing, 108/12.

From Texas to South Carolina. Common. Migratory.

Havell's Tern, Sterna Havelli, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 122.

435. 7. Sterna Trudeaui, Aud. Trudeau's Tern

Plate CCCCIX. Fig. 2. Adult.

Bill about the length of the head, rather slender; wings a little longer than the tail, which is deeply forked. Bill black, with part of the base of the lower mandible, the edges of both, and their tips to the length of five-twelfths of an inch, yellow; feet orange, claws brown, toward the end yellow; a band of blackish-grey surrounding the eye, and extending toward the nape; fore part of head, cheeks, and upper part of throat, white; the rest of the upper and lower parts light greyish-blue, excepting the axillar feathers, lower wing-coverts, and rump, which are white; tail-coverts and tail greyish-white; primary coverts and quills hoary, but the outer five dusky grey on the inner web, toward the margin, and less so along the shaft, and on the outer web; the shafts of all the quills and tail-feathers white, as are the inner edges of the primaries and tips of the secondaries, the inner excepted. This species has the bill somewhat longer and more slender than that of Havell's Tern, and differently coloured; the tarsus longer, and the lower parts of the body of the same tint as the upper, whereas that species is white beneath.

Adult, 16; wing, 1010/12.

Great Egg Harbour and Long Island. Rare. Migratory.

Trudeau's Tern, Sterna Trudeaui, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 125.

436. 8. Sterna arctica, Temm. Arctic Tern

Plate CCL. Male.

Bill about the same length as the head, slender, and with the mouth and feet vermilion, tinged with carmine; wings about two inches shorter than the tail, which is very deeply forked; upper part of head and occiput greenish-black; sides of head and chin white; upper parts pale greyish-blue, the rump bluish-white, the tail and its coverts white, excepting the outer webs of the two lateral feathers, which are dusky grey; primaries dusky towards the ends, the two outer with their outer webs blackish, all with the greater part of the inner web white, secondaries tipped with white; neck, breast, and sides, pale greyish-blue, like the upper parts, but lighter; abdomen, lower tail-coverts, and lower surfaces of wings and tail, white.

Male, 151/2, 32.

Along the coast of the Atlantic in autumn and winter, sometimes as far as New Jersey. Common in Maine, Nova Scotia, and Labrador, where it breeds in multitudes, as well as on the Magdalene Islands, and on the shores of the Arctic Seas. Migratory.

Sterna arctica, Bonap. Syn. p. 354.

Sterna arctica, Arctic Tern, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 414.

Arctic Tern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 275.

Arctic Tern, Sterna arctica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 366.

437. 9. Sterna Dougallii, Mont. Roseate Tern

Plate CCXL. Male.

Bill about the same length as the head, slender, brownish-black, deep orange at the base; feet vermilion; wings about three inches shorter than the tail, which is very deeply forked; upper part of the head and occiput bluish-black; hind neck white; the rest of the upper parts pale bluish-grey, the tail lighter; edges of wings, tips and inner edges of quills, and their shafts, white; first quill black on the outer web and part of the inner, the next two similarly marked, but with the black shaded over with pale grey, the loose barbules being of that colour, the other primaries becoming gradually lighter; lower parts of a beautiful roseate hue, soon fading after death; under surface of wings and tail white.

Male, 1410/12, 30.

Florida Keys, where it is abundant, and breeds. Migratory.

Sterna Dougallii, Mont. Temm.

Roseate Tern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 278.

Roseate Tern, Sterna Dougallii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 296.

438. 10. Sterna nigra, Linn. Black Tern

Plate CCLXXX. Adult and Young.

Bill about the same length as the head, rather slender, brownish-black; feet reddish-brown; wings two inches longer than the tail, which is merely emarginate; head, neck, breast, sides, and abdomen, greyish-black; lower tail-coverts white, lower wing-coverts bluish-grey; upper parts dark bluish-grey, the outer web of the first quill greyish-black; shafts of quills and tail-feathers white. Young in second plumage with the upper parts greyish-blue, the feathers of the fore part of the back, and especially the scapulars, brown towards the end; the upper and hind part of the head greyish-black, of which there is a darker mark behind and another before the eye; forehead greyish-white, as are the sides of the head, the fore neck, breast, and abdomen; sides dusky grey; lower wing-coverts greyish-white.

Adult, 9, 24. Young, in autumn, 73/4; wing, 98/12.

Arrives in Texas from the south early in spring, proceeds along the coast to the Mississippi, then ascends that river and its tributaries, breeding around ponds, or along the streams; and even advances to the Fur Countries, where it also breeds. Abundant. Migratory. Occasionally along the coasts of the Middle Atlantic Districts.

Sterna nigra, Bonap. Syn. p. 355.

Sterna nigra, Black Tern, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 415.

Black Tern or Stern, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 282.

Black Tern, Sterna nigra, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 593; v. v. p. 642.

439. 11. Sterna minuta, Linn. Least Tern

Plate CCCXIX. Adult and Young.

Bill about the length of the head, slender, yellowish-orange, with the tips black, but the extreme points horn-colour; feet light orange-red; wings an inch or more longer than the tail, which is deeply forked; on the forehead a triangular white patch, extending to over the middle of the eye; upper part of head and nape, and loral space, deep black; sides of head, fore neck, and lower parts pure white; back and wings very pale bluish-grey; first two quills with the outer web greyish-black, and rather less than half of their inner web of the same colour, the rest white, extending to about half an inch from their extremities; tail white in summer, of a paler tint than the back at other times. Young, when fledged, with the bill greenish-black, all the lower parts dull greyish-white, as are the upper, including the tail, the hind part of the head streaked with dusky, on the back and rump the feathers with a curved marginal band of greyish-brown; primary quills greyish-brown, the outer two darker; tail even, each feather narrowly margined with greyish-white.

Adult, 83/4, 183/4.

Breeds from Galveston along the shores to Labrador. Not mentioned as found in the Fur Countries. Returns southward, and passes beyond Texas in autumn. Extremely abundant at times on the Great Lakes, as well as the Ohio and Mississippi.

Least Tern, Sterna minuta, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. vii. p. 80.

Sterna minuta, Bonap. Syn. p. 355.

Silvery Tern, Sterna argentea, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 280.

Least Tern, Sterna minuta, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 175.

* Tail graduated.

440. 12. Sterna stolida, Linn. Noddy Tern

Plate CCLXXV. Male.

Bill a little longer than the head, rather slender, a little decurved, black; tail cuneate; general colour of plumage sooty-brown; primaries and tail-feathers brownish-black; upper part of head greyish-white; a black spot anterior to and over the eye.

Male, 164/12, 32.

Abundant on the Gulf of Mexico during the whole year. Breeds in vast multitudes on the Tortugas Keys.

Sterna stolida, Bonap. Syn. p. 356.

Noddy, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 285.

Noddy Tern, Sterna stolida, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 516; v. v. p. 642.

GENUS III. LARUS, Linn. GULL

Bill shorter than the head, nearly straight, moderately stout, compressed; upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight to the middle, then decurved, the ridge convex, the sides rapidly sloping, the edges sharp and direct, the tip rather obtuse; nasal groove rather long and narrow; nostrils submedial, longitudinal, linear-oblong, broader anteriorly; lower mandible, with the angle long and pointed, the outline of its crura decurved anteriorly, that of the ridge slightly concave and ascending, the sides erect, the edge-line decurved toward the tip, which is narrow but obtuse. Head of moderate size, broadly ovate; neck of ordinary length; body compact. Feet rather long or of moderate length, rather stout; tibia bare at the lower part; tarsus moderately compressed, with numerous curved anterior scutella, and smaller behind; toes slender, of moderate length, scutellate; first very small, third a little longer than fourth. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather blunt. Plumage close, soft, blended, on the back and wings rather compact. Wings very long, pointed; first and second quills longest; secondaries broad, the inner more elongated. Tail of moderate length, generally even, rarely rounded or emarginate, of twelve feathers. In those which have the head white in summer, it is streaked with dusky in winter; and those which are hooded in summer, have the head white and slightly streaked in winter.

* Tail emarginate.

441. 1. Larus Sabini, Sabine. Fork-tailed Gull

Plate CCLXXXV. Fig. 1, Male.

Tail of moderate length, forked; bill of moderate length, rather slender, black, with the terminal third yellow; feet black; head and upper part of neck all round blackish-grey, that colour terminated by a collar of pure black; lower neck all round, the whole lower surface, upper tail-coverts, and tail, pure white; back and wings bluish-grey, excepting a large terminal portion of the secondaries, and the tips of the primaries, which are white, the primaries themselves being black, with their shafts brownish-black.

Male, 13, 33.

Accidental as far south in winter, as New York. Rather common along the coast of Nova Scotia. Breeds in Newfoundland, and along the coasts of the Arctic Seas. Seen on the banks of Newfoundland in great numbers.

Larus Sabini, Fork-tailed Gull, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 428.

Fork-tailed Gull, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 295.

Forked-tailed Gull, Larus Sabini, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 561.

** Tail cuneate.

442. 2. Larus Rossii, Richardson. Ross's Gull

Not figured.

Tail much rounded, the middle feathers being an inch longer than the lateral; bill of moderate length, slender, black; feet vermilion; head, neck, all round, lower parts, rump and tail, white, the lower parts tinged with pink, which soon fades; a narrow collar of black; fore part of back, scapulars, and both surfaces of wings light greyish-blue; tips of scapulars and secondaries white.

Adult, 14; wing 101/2.

Arctic Seas.

Larus Rossii, Cuneate-tailed Gull, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 427.

Ross's Gull, Larus Rossii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 324.

*** Tail even.

443. 3. Larus Bonapartii, Richardson. Bonaparte's Gull

Plate CCCXXIV.

Bill slender, black; feet orange, tinged with vermilion; head and upper part of neck all round greyish-black, that colour extending half an inch lower on the throat than on the occiput; a white band divided by a narrow black line margining the eye behind; lower part of neck all round, anterior edge of wing, alular, smaller coverts on the carpal margin, four outer primary coverts, shaft and inner web of outer primary, both webs of second, inner webs of third and fourth, rump, tail, and all the lower parts, white; back, scapulars, and wings light greyish-blue; outer web of first quill, excepting a small portion toward the end, its tips to the length of half an inch, black, as are the ends of the next six, which however have a small tip of white, the black on some of them being an inch long, and running along the inner edge to a considerable extent. Female somewhat smaller, similar to the male, but with the head and upper part of the neck umber-brown. Young in second plumage with the bill greyish-black, the feet flesh-coloured; head and neck greyish-white; a small patch of black behind the eye; upper parts dull bluish-grey, many of the wing-coverts greyish-brown, edged with paler; quills as in the adult; rump and tail white, the latter with a broad band of black at the end, the tips narrowly edged with whitish.

Adult, 141/8, 321/4.

Extremely abundant in winter, on the coast of Florida. Equally plentiful in spring, along the coasts of the Middle and Eastern Districts, especially in the Chesapeake. Breeds from the Bay of Fundy to high latitudes. Not uncommon in autumn, on the Great Lakes, and the Ohio and Mississippi.

Brown-masked Gull, Larus capistratus, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. Female.

Larus capistratus, Bonap. Syn. p. 358.

Larus Bonapartii, Bonapartian Gull, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 425.

Bonapartian Gull, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 294.

Bonapartian Gull, Larus Bonapartii, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 212.

444. 4. Larus Atricilla, Linn. Black-headed Gull. – Laughing Gull

Plate CCCXIV. Male and Young.

Bill moderately stout, and with the feet, margin of eyelids, and inside of mouth deep carmine; wings extending three inches beyond the tail, which is even; head and upper neck all round blackish lead-grey, darker on the upper part of the head and along the posterior margin, which descends lower in front, or to the extent of about two inches and a half from the base of the lower mandible; two narrow white bands bordering the upper and lower eyelids; lower neck all round, the whole lower surface, rump and tail white, but the fore part of the neck and the breast down to the legs, of a beautiful light rosy tint; back and wings greyish-blue, with a slight tinge of purple, excepting a large terminal portion of the secondaries, and the tips of the primaries, which are white; first primary black, with a tinge of grey on the inner web at the base; second and third similar, with the grey more extended; the fourth with it extending over two-thirds, the fifth black only for an inch and a half, on the sixth the black reduced to two spots near the end; the other parts and the remaining primaries of the same general colour as the back. Female similar, but considerably smaller. In winter, the head white, the feathers on its upper part and the nape more or less brownish-grey in their concealed part, that colour appearing in slight patches here and there, and especially along the posterior margin of the part that is coloured in summer, as well as on a small space before the eye; in other respects the plumage as in summer, but without the rosy tint. Young, when fledged, with the bill, feet, inside of mouth, and edges of eyelids olivaceous brown; upper parts brownish-grey, the feathers edged with paler; hind part of back light bluish-grey; upper tail-coverts nearly white; tail pale greyish-blue, with a broad band of brownish-black at the end, the extreme tips narrowly edged with white, the outer margin of the lateral feathers of the same colour; the first four primaries destitute of white at the tip; a small patch before the eye, two slight bands on the eyelids, and the throat, greyish-white; lower part of neck brownish-grey; the rest of the lower parts greyish-white, the sides darker, the axillars ash-grey, lower surface of wing dusky grey.