468 NATATORES. STERNA. TERN- 



COMMON TERN. 



STERNA HIRUNDO, Linn. 

 PLATE XC. FIG. 1. 



Sterna Hirundo, Linn. Syst. 1. 227. 2 Gmel. Syst, 1. 606 Lath. Ind. Orn. 



2. 807. sp. 15. 



Hirundo marina, Rail Syn. 131. A Will. 268. t. 68. 

 Sterna major, Briss. Orn. 6. 203. 1. t. 19. f. 1. 

 HirondeUe-de-Mer Pierre Garin, Buff.Ois. 8. 331. 27 Id. PL Enl. 987 



Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 2. 740. 



Gemeine Meerschwalbe, Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 2. 459. 

 Sea Swallow, Alton, 2. t. 88 Will. (AngL) 352. 

 Greater Tern, Br. ZooL 2. 545. No. 254. t. 90 Lath. Syn. 6. 261. 14 



Lewiris Br. Birds, 6. pi. 204 Mont. Orn. Diet, and Sup Bewick's Br. 



Birds, ed. 1826, 2. pt. 185 Pult. Cat. Dorset. 18. Low's Faun. Oread. 



125. 

 Common Tern, Shaw's Zool. 13. 150. pi. 18 Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 143. 



No. 235. 



PROVINCIAL Kirmew, Picket, Tarney, Pictarne, Rittock, Tarret, 

 Spurre, Scraye, Gull Teaser. 



visitant* 1 FROM tne trivial name attached to this species the suppo- 

 sition naturally arises that its distribution must be more ge- 

 neral throughout our coasts than any of the other Terns. 

 This, however, is not the case, as it is of rare occurrence 

 upon the whole extent of the eastern shores of the north of 

 England and Scotland ; where its place seems to be supplied 

 by the Arctic and Roseate species. Upon the Fern Islands 

 I have never seen more than two or three pairs in a season ; 

 and at the Isle of May in the Frith of Forth, and other 

 northern resorts of various kinds of sea-fowl, its numbers 

 are equally restricted. On the contrary, it visits the oppo- 

 site parts of the western coast in large bodies, breeding 

 abundantly on certain situations in the Solway, and the 

 Frith of Clyde ; and is moreover the prevailing species upon 

 all the southern coast of England. Its flight rather re- 

 sembles that of the Roseate Tern, but it is scarcely so 

 buoyant, and has a quicker motion of the wings. Its voice 

 is harsh, but easily to be distinguished from those of the 



