WHITE SEA-BIRDS. 271 



Egg's. — 2—3, pale cream or buff, spotted and 

 blotched with brown and gray; 1"7 x 1'15 inch 

 (plate 134). 



Nest.— A hollow in sand or shingle, usually on 

 low rocky islands. 



Although still lingering as a breeding bird in a 

 few of its old haunts, the Roseate Tern is little known 

 on our coasts. In its form, flight, and general 

 appearance it resembles our other Terns, but there 

 is a delicacy in the pearl-gray of the upper parts 

 and a suftusion of rose-colour in the under parts 

 which are distinctive of this bird, however elusive 

 they may be in observation. More obvious points 

 of difference are the white collar round the hind- 

 neck, and the combination of a black bill, orange 

 at the base, with vermilion legs and feet. 



COMMON TERN— 14^ inches ; bill red, tipped black ; legs 

 red ; under parts white. 



ARCTIC TERN— 14^ inches ; bill plain red ; legs and feet 

 coral-red ; under parts pale pearl-gray. 



SANDWICH TERN— 16 inches ; bill and feet black. 



LITTLE TERN — 8i inches; very much smaller; bill 

 yellow, and legs and feet orange. 



SANDWICH TERN.— Form, like Common Tern 

 (plate 114). 16 inches. Head capped with black; 

 upper plumage pearl-gray, but rump and tail white ; 

 face, sides of neck, collar round hind-neck, and under 

 parts white ; bill black, tipped yellow ; legs and feet 

 black. Summer migrant. 



Eggs. — 2, less often 3, cream to buff in the ground, 



