54* BL-ACKTERN. Class II. 



belly, as far as the vent, are black; beyond is 

 white: the male has a white fpot under its chin: 

 the back and wings are of a deep afli color : the 

 tail is fhort and forked ; the exterior feather on each 

 fide is white ; the others a(h colored : the legs and 

 feet of a dufky red. Mr. Ray calls this a cloven- 

 footed gull ; as the webs are deprefTed in the mid- 

 dle, and form a crefcent. Thefe birds frequent 

 frefh waters; breed on their banks, and lay three 

 fmall eggs of a deep olive color, much fpotted with 

 black. 



They are found during fpring and fummer in 

 vaft numbers in the Fens of Lincoln/hire-, make 

 an incefTant noife, and feed as well on flies as water 

 infects and fmall fifli. 



Birds of this fpecies are feen very remote from 

 land. Kalm faw flocks of hundreds in the Atlantic 

 ocean, midway between England and America ; and 

 a later voyager allured me he faw one 240 

 leagues from the Lizard^ in the fame ocean. 



BILL 



