Society for the Jirotection of Birds. 
EDUCATIONAL SERIES. Edited by H. E. DRESSER, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 
No. 12.--TERNS, or SEA SWALLOWS. 
Dy EOMAS SOUTEWEELE, i .Z.5: 
THE COMMON TERN. 
I. Names} ERNS, oR SEA SWALLOWS. 
Family—Luride. 
Sub-Family—Sterninw or Terns. 
Genus—Sterna. S. fluviatilis. Common Tern. 
S. minuta. Lesser Tern. 
II. General Description. 
Common Trrn.—Adult in summer. Bill, coral red, point black; irides, dark brown ; 
forehead, crown, and nape, black; back and wings, ash grey ; chin, neck, breast, and 
under surface, dull white ; legs, coral red. Whole length, 14} inches. (Yarrell.) 
The wings are long and pointed; tail, deeply forked. The adult female does not 
differ in plumage from the male. 
Lesser Tern.—Adult in summer. Beak, orange, tipped with black; irides, dusky ; 
forehead, white; crown of head and nape, jet black; back and wings, uniform 
delicate pearl grey; tail, forked; chin, throat, sides of neck, breast, and all the 
under surface of the body, pure white; legs, orange. Total length, rather more 
than 8 inches. (Yarrell.) 
Illustration, by kind permission of Messrs. Gurney & Jackson, from ‘Manual of British Birds,” by 
; Mr. Howard Saunders. 
