File:A popular handbook of the birds of the United States and Canada (1905) (14562078790).jpg

Identifier: popularhandbooko1905nutt (find matches)
Title: A popular handbook of the birds of the United States and Canada
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Nuttall, Thomas, 1786-1859 Chamberlain, Montague, 1844-1924
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: Boston : Little, Brown
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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r. On approaching their breeding-places the old birds assemble in crowds around the intruder,and after a good deal of vociferation, flying round in wide cir-cuits, they often approach within a few yards of ones head,squeaking almost like so many young pigs, and appear to bevery irritable and resentful. At other times, when not excitedor alarmed, they are tame and unsuspicious, particularly theyoung birds, often heedlessly passing the spectator within afew yards while tracing the windings of the shore in quest oftheir prey. This is a bird of the tropical and warm-temperate regions, breed-ing chiefly from the Middle States southward, and wintering inCentral America. The Nantucket Islands were a favorite resortsome years ago, but few examples are found there now. Occasion-ally stragglers wander along the coast as far as Labrador, and afew have been seen on the Great Lakes and in Minnesota. Itsvoice is described as a sharp squeak, much like the cry of a veryyoung pig following its mother.
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CASPIAN TERN. gannet striker. Sterna tschegrava. Char. Mantle pale pearl gray; tail and wings silvery; crown andnape black; under parts white; bill red, tipped with black; legs and feetblack. In winter the black cap is streaked with white. In immaturebirds the upper parts are light gray mottled with brownish gray; billyellowish brown; legs and feet brown. The largest of the Terns. Length21 inches or more. Nest. A slight hollow in the sand, sometimes lined with a little grassor sea-weed. Eggs. 2-3; buff of various shades, sometimes tinged with olive,marked with brown and lavender ; average size 2.60 X 1.75. This Tern received its name from Pallas, who discovered it on theshores of the Caspian Sea. It was first described in 1770, but wasnot known to the earlier American naturalists, Bairds work of1858 being the first in which its name appears. It is not abundant in this country, or indeed in any country ex-cepting in a few localities, though cosmopolitan in its distributioA 228 SWIMMERS

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