194 BRITISH BIRDS 



insects, worms, and anything of a like kind that comes 

 within its reach. It is rather longer than the Common 

 Tern and darker in colour, the long forked swallow-like 

 tail is almost white, and the black cap extends down to 

 the nape of the neck, where it terminates in a point. The 

 legs and feet, as well as the bill, are of a dark orange colour. 



The Black Tern. 



A small bluish-black species, with a short scarcely divided 

 tail. The top of the head and the breast are black, the 

 cheeks and the wings and tail blue grey, the vent white, 

 the bill dark grey, and the legs and feet reddish grey. It 

 is a migratory species of infrequent occurrence in Britain, 

 although at one time breeding here in considerable numbers. 

 On the continent it is reckoned to be a delicacy and is 

 in much request for the table! It only measures 8 or 9 

 inches in length, and weighs somewhat over two ounces. 



The Common Tern. 



This bird is also sometimes known as the Sea-Swallow. 

 It is an extremely graceful little creature with a black 

 head, or rather cap, and grey upper and white under 

 parts ; the long bill and the legs and feet are greyish orange. 



Morris waxes so poetical in his description of the flight 

 of these birds that we are tempted to reproduce his words: 

 "All the varied movements of the Sea Swallow in flight 

 are performed with that striking ease and grace which are 

 characteristic of these birds, whether on a calm summer 

 day when the glassy surface of the sea shimmering in the 

 sun is broken only by the leaping of the shoals of fish 

 over which the Terns hover, or later in the waning year 

 when the winds their revels keep ! " 



The eggs are very various in appearance, and are usu- 

 ally three in number. Both birds share the task of incu- 

 bation. Albino specimens have been obtained, and the 

 birds have reproduced in confinement. 



