272 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



breeds along all the coasts of the Northern and Middle 

 States, and penetrates north into the fur countries, up to the 

 57th parallel of latitude. They also breed on the sand-bars 

 of the great western lakes, being frequent in those of Erie, 

 Huron, and Superior. In short, no bird is more common 

 along the sea coasts, and lakes, of the whole northern hemi- 

 sphere, within the limits of cool or moderate temperature. 



The Great Tern arrives on the coast of New Jersey about 

 the middle of April, and soon after they are seen on the 

 shores of New England, where they are known by the name 

 of the Mackarel Gull, appearing, with the approach of that 

 fish, towards the places of their summer residence. In New 

 York it is dignified, for the same reason, with the appella- 

 tion of the Sheep's-IIead Gull, prognosticating also, the arri- 

 val of that dainty fish in the waters of the state. About 

 the middle of May, still gregarious as they arrive, they com- 

 mence with the cares of reproduction. Artless in contri- 

 vance, the Terns remedy the defect of a nest, by selecting 

 for their eyries, insulated sand-bars, wide beaches, but most 

 commonly desolate, bare, and small rocky islets, difficult of 

 access, and rarely visited by any thing but themselves and 

 birds of similar habits. A small hollow scratch on the surface 

 of the shelving rock, with the aid of a little sand or gravel, 

 merely sufficient to prevent the eggs from rolling ofl^, are all 

 the preparations employed by these social and slovenly birds. 

 The eggs, about 3 or 4, are left exposed purposely to the 

 warming influence of the sun, the parent sitting on them 

 only in the night, or during the existence of wet and stormy 

 weather : they are about 1-^- inches long, by 1^ in width ; 

 of a dull yellowish or pale whitish-olive, with dark brown 

 blotches and spots, and others of a pale hue beneath the 

 surface, the whole often disposed in a sort of irregular ring 

 towards the obtuse end ; other eggs again, (as if of a dif- 

 ferent species of bird,) are spotted almost equally all over. 



