508 THE TERNS. 



The Common Tern (Fisk-Ttirna, or Fish-Tern, Sw. ; 

 S. Hirundo t Linn.) was common with us in the Wenern 

 and Gotha, but still more so in the neighbouring Skargard. 

 It is also common most so probably of any of the terns 

 everywhere in Scandinavia, from Scania to the North Cape, 

 and this as well in the interior as on the coast. From its 

 habit of following the mackerel shoals, that it may pick up 

 marine insects, Crustacea, and small fish, that these in their 

 progress frighten up to the surface of the water, it is called, 

 by the fishermen in our Skargard, the Makrill-Tarna, or 

 Mackerel-Tern. It is very common in Denmark. Migrates. 



The Arctic Tern* (Ro'd-nabbad Tarna, or Red-billed 

 Tern, Sw. ; S. arctica, Temm.) is, according to Nilsson, 

 confined to the coast of Scania. But M. von Wright says 

 it is common in the Bohus Skargard, on the northern islands 

 of which not a few nest; and M. Malm describes it as 

 abundant in Enare and Utsjoki Lapmark, as high up as the 

 70 of latitude. In parts of Denmark it is exceedingly 

 common. Nilsson is inclined to believe this bird, and not 

 the Common Tern, to be the true $. Hirundo of Linnaeus. 



The Lesser Tern (Smd-Tarna, or Lesser Tern, Sw. ; S. 

 minuta, Linn.) is pretty common, according to Swedish 

 naturalists, on the more southern coasts of Sweden. But 

 from M. von Wright making no mention of it, and from its 

 not having come under our personal observation, it seems 



* This species is distinguished from the common tern, which it in appear- 

 ance and habits greatly resembles, by a shorter and altogether straight blood- 

 red bill ; darker feathers on the breast and neck ; somewhat longer tail in pro- 

 portion to the wings ; less slender legs ; shorter legs and toes ; shorter and 

 less crooked claws ; less black-grey on the first wing-feathers ; less grey on 

 the tail. 



