278 REPTILES AND BIRDS, 



Scissors-bills or Skimmers (Rhynchops\ the Gulls (Laridce), the Skuas 

 (Stercoraria), the Petrels (Procellaria), and the Albatross (Diomedea). 



THE TERNS (Sterna). 



There are six species of Sterna, properly so called, described by 

 British naturalists ; and six others, according to McGillivray, nearly 

 resembling them in form, colour, and habit. The true Terns have the 

 bill straight, slender, compressed, and tapeiing, about the length of 

 the head, with the edge sharp, and the tip elongated and pointed ; 

 the upper mandible armate ; legs short, slender ; anterior toes small ; 

 membrane emarginate ; wings long and pointed ; tail forked. These 

 birds are remarkable for their buoyant, graceful, easy flight, and the 

 soft loose texture of their plumage. Their prevailing colours are a 

 pale bluish grey or black, and white. 



The Tern or Sea Swallow, on account of its long pointed wings 

 and forked tail, like the Swallow properly so called, appears to possess 

 a perfect immunity from feeling fatigue. They may be seen at one 

 moment soaring in the air at a great height, at another darting down 

 upon their prey, which their piercing sight has enabled them to 

 descry. Often, too, they may be noticed skimming over the surface 

 of the waves with astonishing rapidity, and seizing in their passage 

 any fish which is on the surface. As they rarely swim, their flight 

 seems incessant. When rest is taken it is upon some isolated rock 

 in the ocean. They sometimes congregate in flocks, when they 

 manifest so much attachment for individuals of their own species, 

 that, if one of them be wounded by the sportsman's gun, the others 

 surround it, full of grief and sympathy, nor will they leave it until all 

 hope of helping their comrade is at an end. 



These birds in their flight give utterance to shrill and piercing 

 calls, which, when produced by numbers together, cause a most 

 grating, unpleasant effect. But the time, above all others, when their 

 noise is most discordant and shrill is the breeding season. " On 

 going up to one of their breeding-places," says McGillivray, " which 

 may always be discovered from a distance, as some of the birds will 

 be seen hovering over it, one is sure to be met by several of them, 

 which hasten to remonstrate against the intruder's approach by harsh 

 cries and threatened blows. As you draw nearer, more of them 

 leave their nests ; and at length they are all on the wing, wheeling 

 and bounding now high and now low at times coming quite close, 

 and increasing their cries, which resemble the syllables 'cree-cree- 



