TERN. NATATORES. STERNA. 467 



the shell. The common varieties of them are either with 

 fewer spots and blotches upon a white ground, or of a deep 

 oil-green, with spots of a darker shade *. 



PLATE 88. Fig. 2. Represents this bird of the natural size, 

 and in the summer plumage. 



Forehead, crown, and long pendent occipital feathers deep General 

 black, but in the beginning of the season the feathers of tion. 

 the forehead are frequently spotted with white, being Summer 

 the remains of the winter % plumage. Fore part of the 

 neck, breast, and under plumage rosy or reddish-white. 

 Quills deep hoary ash-grey, having a velvety appear- 

 ance with the interior half of their inner webs white. 

 Bill black, with the tip straw-yellow. Legs black, the 

 under surface of the toes and webs yellow. Claws 

 black, and very hooked. 



In winter the forehead and crown are white. The occiput Winter 

 black, with the edges of the feathers white. At the pluma S e ' 

 anterior angle of the eye is a patch of black. Under 

 plumage glossy white, and without the rosy tint. In 

 other respects as in the summer. 



The young of the year are, above, of a pale wood-brown, Young, 

 transversely barred with broccoli-brown. The quills are 

 of a deep blackish-grey, bordered and terminated by 

 white. Under plumage white. Bill blackish, tinged 

 with flesh-red, with a yellowish tip. Tail greyish-black 

 in the middle, with the tips of the feathers white. 



* For correct figures of the Eggs of British Birds, I refer my readers to 

 Mr HEWJTSOK'S beautiful work entitled " British Oology," now in the 

 course of publication. 



