BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



373 



Sanbwicb ^ern. 



The Sandwich Tern {S/er?ia cantiaca^ Gmelin) is a summer 

 visitor to the British Isles, and is also found inhabiting 

 most parts of temperate Europe and Northern Africa, as well 

 as South-Western Asia. The adult in summer has the fore- 

 head, crown, and occipital feathers, rich black; back and 

 wings, pearl-grey; tips of secondaries and upper quills, nearly 

 white ; fore part of breast and under parts, tinged with 

 delicate pink ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail, white 

 and forked ; bill, black, tipped with pale yellow ; legs and 

 feet, black. Length, about fifteen inches. The female is 

 shorter in the tail, and shows less pink on breast. The 

 young are pale brown above, varied with black ; primaries 

 greyish-black, margined and tipped with white. 



