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and Mediterranean Seas, but to be of rare or acci- 

 dental occurrence on the western coasts of Europe. 

 It has also been found in Senegal, and at the Cape 

 of Good Hope. The Caspian Tern is incessantly 

 on the wing, sustaining its flight with apparent 

 ease, and swims buoyantly on the water, but never 

 dives. Its principal food is fish, or animal matters 

 left by the retiring tide. It is said to lay in a hole 

 in the sand, or on the bare rocks near the edge of 

 the sea, two or three eggs of a yellowish stone 

 colour, spotted with ash grey and dark red brown. 



TERN, COMMON. 



SEA SWALLOW. 

 STERNA HIRUNDO, Lin. 



The Common Tern visits Germany, Holland, Swit- 

 zerland, France, Spain, Italy, and Madeira. Speci- 

 mens have also been received from Trebizond. It is 

 common on all our sandy shores, arriving early in 

 May, and departing in September. It breeds on 

 unfrequented sands, headlands, islands, and some- 

 times in rocky places, depositing its eggs in a slight 

 hollow, The eggs ; generally three in number, vary 

 greatly in colour, specimens being seen of a greyish 

 yellow, olivaceous, or brownish hue, blotched with 

 black and purplish grey. The food of the Common 



