MARSH GULL-BILLED TERN. 669 



are scarce on the land, particularly during their migration 

 southward, they may he forced to feed upon fish. 



" The Marsh Tern deposits its three eggs on the dried 

 rushes found in the salt marshes at a short distance from the 

 water, and carefully placed beyond reach of any ordinary 

 encroachments of the tides ; for, as Wilson has truly said, 

 this species forms no nest. The eggs differ considerably in 

 their markings. They are generally an inch and three- 

 quarters in length, an inch and half-an-eighth in breadth, 

 smooth, of a greenish or olivaceous tint, largely marked with 

 irregular splashes of dark umber, almost black, disposed 

 around the broader part, leaving the apex with only a few 

 small dots of the same colour, similar dots being as sparingly 

 dispersed toward the smaller end, which falls off toward the 

 extremity, and is there gently rounded. The parents sit 

 more upon them than is usual with Terns which drop their 

 eggs on the sands, and they do not leave their charge in 

 cloudy weather. The young have the bill of a dull reddish 

 orange-brown colour, which is retained by them until late in 

 the winter, when these parts become black, and so continue 

 for life." 



Young. — According to M. Temminck, the young have 

 the upper part of the head white, with very small longi- 

 tudinal spots ; the bluish-grey tints on the back and wings 

 mixed with brown, cinereous, and pale yellowish ; the tail 

 very little forked, cinereous, with the tips of the feathers 

 white ; quills brownish-grey ; all the lower parts pure white ; 

 base of the bill yellowish, the rest toward the point blackish- 

 brown ; feet brown. 



