COMMON TERN. 
The eggs are variously of a pale blue, pale yellow, green , 
brown, white, or light dull yellowish or stone-colour, blotted 
and spotted with grey, dark reddish brown, and blackish 
brown, three in number. They are laid from the latter end 
of May to the beginning of July. 
The male bird assists the female in the task of sitting 
during the day, she taking charge of the clutch at night; in 
fine weather, however, the heat of the sun seems to be 
thought sufficient warmth, and the bird leaves them to its 
rays. Ten or twelve pairs of these birds breed together. 
The young come forth in fifteen or sixteen days, and are 
able to fly when about three weeks old. The old ones 
display much anxiety for their safety, and are very clamorous 
when any one approaches their station, flying round, and 
frequently even striking against them. 
Male; weight, over four ounces to four and a quarter; 
length, one foot two inches, or two and a quarter to three. 
Bill, coral red, the tip very sharp-pointed and black, the 
extreme point yellowish white. Iris, dusky brownish black. 
Forehead, crown, neck on the back, and nape, deep black, 
ending in a queue; in winter duller in tint; sides of the 
head, white below the eyes, in winter the black becomes 
dull. Chin and throat, white; breast, dull white, with a 
faint tinge of rose-colour. Back above, grey, on the lower 
part white. 
The wings extend to the width of two feet six inches; 
greater and lesser wing coverts, grey; the primaries' have 
the outside web of the first darker, and the inner lighter, 
grey; the others with the outer webs and part of the inner 
hoary grey, the remainder of the inner webs white, the 
shafts white; secondaries and tertiaries, grey; greater and 
lesser under wing coverts, white. The tail, which is long 
and considerably forked, has the outer webs of the feathers 
pale grey, increasing in depth of colour to the outermost 
one, which is greyish black, the inner white; in flight the 
feathers are often closed together so as to look like only 
one; upper tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, bright coral 
red; webs, coral red. 
The young are at first covered with mottled grey and 
white down. In their first year’s plumage the bill is reddish 
yellow, the tip and upper ridge dark dusky brown. Forehead, 
dull white; crown on the hinder part and neck on the back, 
blackish with a hoary tint; chin, throat, and breast, white. 
