BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



377 



Xe66cr ^ern. 



The Lesser Tern {Sterfui minuta, Linnaeus) is one of our 

 late summer migrants to the British Islands. It is also 

 an inhabitant of the Palearctic Region, ranging eastwards 

 to North India. The adult in summer plumage has the 

 back and wings light grey; quills, deeper in colouration, 

 and having white margins on inner webs ; forehead, white ; 

 rump and tail, white ; crown of head, lores, and nape, 

 black ; remainder of plumage, white ; irides, dark brown ; 

 bill, black at tip, deep yellow at base ; legs and feet, orange. 

 Length, from eight to nine inches. The female is similar 

 to the male. The young have the upper parts mottled 

 with blackish-brown ; bill, legs, and feet, brownish. 



