638 



STERNA HIRUNDO. THE COMMON TERN. 



PICTARNE. TARNEY. TARRET. PICKET. SPURRE. SCRaYE. KIRMEW. 



Sterna Hirundo. Linn. Syst. Nat. I. 227. 



Sterna Hirundo. Lath. Ind. Ornith. II. 807. 



Greater Tern. Mont. Ornith. Diet, and Supplt. 



Hirondelle-de-mer garin. Sterna Hirundo. Temm. Man. d' Ornith II. 740. 



Common Tern. Sterna Hirundo. Selby, Illustr. Brit. Ornith. II. 468. 



Sterna Hirundo. Jenyns. Brit. Vert. Anim. 266. 



Sterna Hirundo. Bonap. Comp. List, 61. 



Bill about the length of the head, rather slender, coral-red 

 for two-thirds, black at the end ; feet light coral-red; tarsus 

 about ten-tic elf tJ IS long ; tail about the same length as the 

 wings. Upper part of the head and nape deep black; back 

 and wings light greyish-blue ; sides of head, fore neck, and all 

 the lower parts white, the breast ivith a slight tinge of bluish- 

 grey. 



Male in Summer. — The body seems very slender, but is 

 anteriorly compact and muscular ; the neck rather short ; the 

 head of moderate size, oblong. Bill about the same length 

 as the head, rather slender, nearly straight, compressed, 

 tapering, very acute. Upper mandible with the dorsal line 

 slightly arcuato-declinate, the ridge narrowed towards the 



