276 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



SANDWICH TERN. 



(Sterna hoijsii, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 806. sp. 10. Montagu, Diet. 

 Orn. p. 449. S. cantiaca, Gmel. sp. 15. Temm. Man. d'Orn. ii. 

 p, 735. S. africana, Lath. Ind. ii. p. 805. sp. 5. S. striata, Gmel. 

 sp. 24. Lath. Ind. ii. sp. 11. Striated Tern, Lath. Synops. vi. 

 p. 358. t. 95. [young.] Sandwich Tern, Lath. Syn. vi. p. 356. 

 Ib. Suppl. i. p. 266. Bewick's Brit. Birds, ii. p. 204. Greater 

 Sea Swallow, Alein. Birds, ii. pi. 88. [adult in summer dress.] 

 Sterna di becca color nero, Stor. degl. ucc. v. pi. 545. [in perfect 

 winter plumage.] 



Sp. Charact. — Bill long and black, the point yellowish ; feet short 

 and black ; quill shafts white ; tail long and deeply forked, but 

 shorter than the points of the closed wings ; tarsus rather inore 

 than 1 inch long. — Summer jyhimage, with the whole crown black. 

 Winter dress, with the crown white, the hind head only marked 

 with black. Young; above varied with grey, brown and pale 

 dull rufous ; the hind head marked with black. 



Few species have a wider geographic range than the 

 Sandwich Tern. It was first observed in England, by Mr. 

 Boys of Sandwich, where it is not uncommon, and was 

 afterwards published by Latham. It is readily confounded 

 with the Common Tern, (Sterna hirundo,) but is superior 

 in size, besides other differences ; it is rather rare on other 

 parts of the English coast. It is believed to breed on the 

 shores of Sandwich, and retires south in autumn, where it 

 is probably afterwards seen migrating to the coast of Africa 

 to pass the winter, and the young birds have been brought 

 from the distant shores of New Zealand. According to Tem- 

 minck it is very abundant in the isles of North Holland, and 

 chiefly frequents the sea coast, though sometimes it has 

 been known to wander into the interior and visit fresh 

 waters. In the Leverian Museum, there existed, some 

 years ago, a specimen of the young bird from South Amer- 

 ica, but it was left for our indefatigable friend, Audubon, 

 to discover this interesting cosmopolite within the boundary 



