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_, 15-1/2, wing, 10-8/12.
From Texas to South Carolina. Common. Migratory.
Havell's Tern, Sterna Havelli, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 122.