62 2 WHISKERED TERN. 



in the swamps of the Danube, as well as in Turkey, Greece and the 

 southern districts of Russia, while a few pairs occasionally nest as 

 far north as the morasses near Lublin in Poland. In North Africa, 

 from Morocco to Egypt, the Wluskered Tern is abundant in suitable 

 localities, and in the months of our winter it has been found — in 

 immature dress as well as in full breeding-plumage — as far south as 

 Damara-land, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, so that it 

 probably nests in the southern half of that continent. In Asia it 

 is distributed from the Mediterranean to Mongolia, and nests plenti- 

 fully in Northern India, while southward we trace it to Celebes. 

 There again we meet with birds which I believe to have been bred in 

 Australia, and these, in their winter-dress, are slightly paler than 

 our northern examples, although I can find no difference between 

 adults in nuptial dress from (Queensland and from Europe. 



Like its congeners, this Tern breeds in colonies ; its nest being 

 often a large mass of tangled growing weeds pulled together on the 

 surface of the water. The eggs, 3 in number, are usually of a pale 

 green ground-colour, though sometimes stone-grey or buff, spotted, 

 blotched, or scrolled with brown and black: average measurements 

 1*55 by I "1 5 in. In Europe incubation commences in May, but 

 July is the usual month in India. The food consists of dragon-flies, 

 grasshoppers, caterpillars, aquatic beetles See, as well as of newts, 

 small fish and frogs. The flight is buoyant, but not very swift. 



The adult in breeding-plumage has the forehead, crown and nape 

 black, contrasting with a broad stripe of white which runs backwards 

 from the base of the bill, and forms the whisker or moustache from 

 which the bird derives its name ; upper parts slate-grey, darker 

 on the shoulders and primaries, except when the latter are frosted 

 with pearl-grey ; chin and throat greyish-white ; breast slate-grey ; 

 abdomen and flanks nearly black : under wing-coverts pure white ; 

 axillaries white, sometimes tinged with grey ; bill blood-red ; legs, 

 feet and webs vermilion. Length 11-5 in.; wing 9*25 in. Indian 

 birds, which are probably almost sedentary, are smaller than 

 Western examples, which evidently take long journeys to South 

 Africa. In winter the forehead and under parts are white ; the 

 crown, nape and ear-coverts being only streaked with black ; while 

 the mantle is paler than in summer, and is sometimes a delicate 

 pearl-grey. The summer-dress is assumed by a moult, which com- 

 mences in February or March. 



This and the two foregoing species constitute the natural sub- 

 division of " Marsh-Terns." 



