38 



Birds of Xokth Carolina 



food they often collect in nunilieis al)out the inlets or other i)laces where the tides 

 run rapidly between the shoals. On such occasions they may be seen flying slowly 

 against the breeze, or falling off and darting with great rapidity down wind, only 

 to round up in wide, irregular circles. From a height of ten to fifty feet they 

 plunge like beautiful sihcry arrow-heads into the deep, and with etiual grace rise 



^^S!^' 



^. 



^. 



Fig. 16. Le.ist Tekx. 



again C|ui(kly on the wing. After feeding, they rest in crowds on the sand-bars 

 or along the beaches. Not infrequently the spot c1h)s(-ii is the favorite resting-place 

 for other varieties of birds, and the assembly forms a noticeable ()l)ject as viewed 

 from a passing vessel. These birds also nest to a limited extent on the sand-beaches 

 about Ocracok(>. In addition to fish, the Least Tern is said to partake sjiaringly 

 of insects. 



Fig. n 



Sooty Tkk.v. 



24. Sterna fuscata (Linn.). Sooty Terx. 



Description. — -I'pperparts uniform sooty black, forehead, sides of head, and lowor piirt.-; wliito; 

 11 and fcpt black; iininatiirc birds wluilly .sooty brown, palor below; the anal region and under 



...» .,.,..,. ...1.:*.. T 1 -. (i/i i-(\(». w ..1 ..* i.">An. T r on T r^fl 



bill , ^ .„ , 



wiiiK-eoverts wliite. L., l.-,.0()-17.()(); \V.. about 12.00; T., 7.00-7.50. 

 Range. — Mainly tropical and siibtio))ical region.s. 

 Range in A'orth Carolitm. — Occasional on the coiist; accidental inland. 



