47 
BLACK 
TERN. 
Sterna nigra, 
“ fssipes, 
Viralva nigra, 
LiNNiEUS. Fleming. Selb*. 
Montagu. Bewick. 
Leach. Stephens. 
Sterna —., 
9 
Nigra — Black. 
The present species occurs in Europe in Holland, Sweden, 
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Hungary, and France. 
In America, both North and South, from Hudson’s Bay to 
the Brazils. In Asia, in Tartary and Siberia, Persia, and along 
the Caucasus. It has been noticed also at Madeira. 
The Black Tern used to breed in numbers in several of the 
marshy parts of the country, but the drainage of lands has 
destroyed many of its haunts. Winterton, in Norfolk, used 
to be one of these, and Romney Marsh, in Kent. It still 
finds suitable places in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Cambridge¬ 
shire. In the former county Crowland Wash was once a resort. 
In Cambridgeshire, immense flocks of these birds appeared in 
Bottisham and Swaffham fens, in the summer of 1824, as 
recorded by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns; a pair were killed at 
March, the 7th. of May, 1850. In Cornwall, a specimen 
occurred at Mount’s Bay, the beginning of April, 1850. In 
Sussex, one the same year, at Balmer, near Lewes, on the 
9th. of that month. Individuals have occurred in Hampshire, 
Devonshire, and Shropshire. In Middlesex, some at Kingsbury, 
in the autumn of 1841. The Black Tern is occasionally 
plentiful on the Norfolk coast; three or four at Horsey, near 
Yarmouth, May 17th., 1853. In Yorkshire, a few used to 
frequent the streams near Driffield, and individuals have 
occurred near York, Barnsley, Hebden Bridge, and Sheffield, 
one in the middle of the town; one also at Kirkstall, near 
Leeds, in the year 1842. In Worcestershire, two near Wor¬ 
cester, on or about the 12th. of November, 1849. Six of 
