Indian Birds 



7 he ^erns, 200-205 



These beautiful birds have been aptly termed 

 the swallows of the sea, for like swallows they 

 are birds of powerful flight, and remain for long 

 periods on the wing. But they are not confined 

 to the sea. In India, wherever there are rivers, 

 jhils^ or ponds there are terns to be found. 



Their prevaiHng colour is white, and most 

 of them have some black in their plumage. 



To repeat what I said in Bombay Ducks : "No 

 one can fail to recognise a tern. If you see a 

 slenderly-built bird of whitish tinge, with long 

 swallow-like wings and forked tail, a bird which 

 sails along easily over water, sometimes diving 

 for a fish, more frequently picking something 

 off the surface of the water, you may set that 

 bird down as a tern." (Illus. B. D., p. 270.) 



200. Hydrochelidon hybrida : The Whis- 

 kered Tern, or the Small Marsh Tern. (F. 

 1496), (J. 984), ( + 11.) 



Winter flumage : A white bird with grey 

 back, wings, and tail. Some black on the nape 

 of the neck and a black streak behind the eye. 

 Bill, legs, and toes dull red. 



Summer flumage : The whole of the upper 

 part of the head is black. The abdomen be- 

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