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_, 15-3/4, 33-3/4.
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.