

THE BLACK TERN. 



STEENA PISSIPES. 



Bill black ; leet purple-brown, the membrane short ; head and neck black ; 

 upper parts lead-colour; under parts dark ash-grey; under tail-coverts 

 white ; tail not much forked, shorter than the wings ; irides brown. In 

 winter, the lore, throat, and breast are white. Length ten and a quarter 

 inches. Eggs dark olive-brown, blotched and spotted with black. 



The Black Tern is a common bird in most temperate 

 countries which abound in extensive marshes. In its 

 habits it is scarcely less aquatic than the preceding spe- 

 cies, but differs from them all in preferring fresh water 

 to salt. It was formerly of frequent occurrence in 

 England ; but draining and reclaiming have, within the 

 last few years, given over many of its haunts to the Par- 

 tridge and Wood Pigeon ; and it is now but rarely known 

 to breed in this country.* A few, however, are not un- 

 frequently seen in spring and autumn, when on their way 

 from and to their winter quarters, which are the warmer 



* The Rev. R. Lubbock states in his '' Fauna of Norfolk, 1845," 

 that it has ceased to breed regularly in Norfolk, but that eggs had 

 been recently obtained at Crowland Wash in Lincolnshire. 



