264 AVES NATATORES. [STERNA. 



during the first year.) All the upper plumage dusky brown ; under parts 

 brown, varied with ash-gray : bill, naked membranes, and irides, brown : 

 tail simply rounded. After the second moult, the head, neck and breast, 

 are grayish black, with a small triangular white spot at the tip of each 

 feather : back, rump, and wings, the same, but the spots on these parts 

 larger and more scattered : abdomen whitish, the feathers margined with 

 cinereous brown : quills and tail grayish black ; the latter more conical, 

 with the shafts of the feathers white: bill grayish brown, whitish towards 

 the tip: acrotarsia and acrodactyla greenish brown; the longitudinal 

 streaks grayish white : membranes cinereous brown: claws whitish. At 

 each succeeding moult the plumage becomes whiter, till the commence- 

 ment of the fourth year, when it is fully matured. (Egg.) Dull white, 

 tinged with green : long. diam. three inches three lines ; trans, diam. one 

 inch ten lines, 



Plentiful during the breeding season on some parts of the northern 

 coasts, particularly in the Isle of Bass in the Frith of Forth, St. Kilda, 

 and some other of the Scotch Islands. Migrates southward in the Autumn, 

 and, during Winter, may be observed in most parts of the British channel. 

 At such times generally keeps far out at sea, but has been killed inland 

 in a few rare instances. Feeds on herrings, pilchards, and other fish, on 

 which it darts with great force and velocity. Nest placed on steep inac- 

 cessible rocks. Lays a single egg. 



(25.) Pelecanus Onocrotalus, Temm. Man. d'Orn, torn. n. p. 891. 

 Pelican, Mont. Orn. Diet. Supp. Gould, Europ. Birds, partxii. 



An individual of this species, which is a native of Eastern Europe, is 

 recorded (according to Montagu) to have been shot in England, in May 

 1663, at Horsey Fen. It is conjectured, however, that it might have 

 escaped from confinement k 



GEN. 108. STERNA, Linn. 



(1. STERNA, Steph.) 



281. S. Caspia, Pall. (Caspian Tern.) Bill thick 

 and strong, bright red : tarsus one inch six lines in length : 

 tail short, forked. 



S. Caspia, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 733. Caspian Tern, Lath. 

 Syn. vol. in. p. 350. Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 463. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-one inches: length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) two inches nine lines, (from the gape) three inches two 

 lines ; of the tarsus one inch six lines ; of the tail six inches ; from the 

 carpus to the end of the wing sixteen inches six lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Summer plumage.) Forehead, crown, and long occipital 

 feathers, deep black : nape, back, scapulars and wing-coverts, bluish ash : 

 quills brown, tinged with ash-gray : sides of the head, fore part of the 

 neck, and all the under parts of the plumage, pure white : tail pale ash- 

 gray: bill coral-red : legs black. Wings reaching about four inches and 

 a half beyond the tail. (Winter plumage.) Forehead, and a part of the 

 crown, pure white; occiput variegated with black and white : the rest as 

 in summer. (Young of the year.) " Forehead and crown as in the adult 

 in winter plumage; rest of the upper parts ash-coloured brown, with 

 large dusky spots and transverse bars : tail with a large dusky space at 



