661 



HYDROCHELIDON LEUCOPTERA. THE WHITE- 

 WINGED MARSH-TERN. 



Hirondelle-de-mer, leucoptere. Sterna leucoptera. Temm. Man. d'Omith. 



II. 747. 

 White -winged Black Tern. Sterna leucoptera. Yarr. Brit. Birds. 



Supplt. 50. 



Bill reddish -hr own ; feet coral -red ; tail emarginate, 

 about tioo inches and a half shorter than the wings. Head, 

 neck, fore jiart of hack, breast, and abdomen black; upper 

 wing-co'certs , rump, tail and its coverts white. 



Male in Summer. — "Head, neck, fore part of back, 

 breast, belly, and lower wing-coverts deep black ; hind part 

 of back and scapulars greyish-black ; small and middle wing- 

 coverts, rump, tail-feathers, and upper and lower tail-coverts 

 pure white ; large wing-coverts and secondary quills bluish- 

 grey ; on the inner webs of the first two quills is a broad 

 pure white longitudinal band ; iris black ; feet coral-red. 

 Length about ten inches." — Temminck. 



Female. — The female is similar to the male. 



Habits. — This species, according to M. Temminck, 

 " inhabits the bays and gulfs of the shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean ; is very common about Gibraltar ; visits also the 

 lakes, rivers, and marshes of the countries beyond the Alps ; 

 is very common on the lakes Lucarno, Lugano, Como, Isco, 

 and Guarda ; and is seen occasionally on the lake of Geneva ; 

 but never in Holland, or in the north." Brehm and Nilsson, 

 however, include it among the birds of Germany and Scandi- 

 navia. It is said to feed chiefly on aquatic insects and worms, 

 especially dragon-flies, moths, and other winged insects, 

 seldom on fishes. 



