THE INVITATION 225 



that it was a sea-bird; but as to its name or habitat 

 I must defer my answer till I could get a peep into 

 Audubon, or some large collection. 



The bird had fallen down exhausted in a meadow, 

 and was picked up just as the life was leaving its 

 body. The place must have been one hundred and 

 fifty miles from the sea as the bird flies. As it 

 was the sooty tern, which inhabits the Florida Keys, 

 its appearance so far north and so far inland may 

 be considered somewhat remarkable. On removing 

 the skin I found it terribly emaciated. It had no 

 doubt starved to death, ruined by too much wing. 

 Another Icarus. Its great power of flight had made 

 it bold and venturesome, and had carried it so far 

 out of its range that it starved before it could return. 



The sooty tern is sometimes called the sea-swal- 

 low on account of its form and power of flight. It 

 will fly nearly all day at sea, picking up food from 

 the surface of the water. There are several species 

 of terns, some of them strikingly beautifuL 



1868. 



