BIRDS OF THE SEA iii 



Plumage. — Generally much like the next, but the 

 mantle paler grey, and lower parts suffused with rose- 

 colour. Tail long and very forked. Bill black, orange- 

 red at base. Legs and feet orange-red. Length isjin. 

 Female like male. In winter forehead almost white. 

 Young : crown white, streaked with black ; head and 

 nape greyish black, streaked with white ; blackish grey 

 band on wings, with white edges ; back and wings bluish 

 grey, mottled with greyish black and yellowish white ; 

 throat, collar, and under parts white ; legs and feet 

 yellow. Nestling : buff above, marked with grey and 

 white ; pure white below. 



Language. — A harsh " crake," if anything rather more 

 musical than last. 



Habits. — Closely resembling the other Terns. 



Food. — Fish. 



Nest. — June. One brood. 



Site. — Same as last, and usually on some isolated 

 and uninhabited island. 



Materials. — Same as last. 



Eggs. — Two to three. Creamy white, blotched and 

 spotted with dark brown ; indistinguishable from the 

 next two species. 



COMMON TERN {Sterna fluviatUis), 



May to September. Well distributed, being found 

 pretty abundantly all round our coast-lines except 

 towards the north, where its place is taken by its near 

 relative the Arctic Tern. 



Observation. — This bird differs from the Arctic Tern by 

 its more slender build, whiter under-parts, and its dark- 

 tipped but otherwise orange-red bill. 



