476 



NATATORES. STERNA. 



TERN. 



smallest, not exceeding nine inches in extreme length, and 

 measuring in extent of wing about twenty inches. The 

 communities in which it breeds are seldom so numerous as 

 those of the preceding and other species, and it is rarely 

 found in company with them. Thus, upon the coast of 

 Northumberland, the Lesser Tern is not an inhabitant of the 

 Fern Islands, the great resort of those already described ; 

 but this bird annually breeds in a small colony, about eight 

 or nine miles distant, upon the beach of the mainland, near 

 to Holy Island It is plentiful in the Frith of Forth, where 

 it occupies stations on both sides of the arm of the sea ; and 

 is met with in various parts upon the western shores of the 

 island, and also on the Lincolnshire coast, in which latter 

 place, according to MONTAGU, it is very abundant. In this 

 species the bill is large, strong, and almost strait, the upper 

 mandible being very little arched. It is an oceanic bird, 

 being only accidentally met with inland, or upon fresh-water 

 lakes and rivers. Its food consists of marine insects and the 

 fry of different fish. Its habits are so similar to those of the 

 otner species, as to require no particular detail. Its eggs 

 are generally two in number, sometimes three, which are de- 

 posited on the bare gravel or sand, just beyond the reach of 

 the highest tides. Their colour is a pale wood-brown, or 

 oil-green, blotched with brown of different shades. The 

 Lesser Tern arrives on our coasts, and departs nearly at the 

 same periods as the other species. 



General PLATE 89. Fig. 3. represents the Adult Bird of the natural 



Food, 



Incuba- 

 tion, &c. 



descrip- 

 tion. 



Adult bird. 

 Summer 

 plumage. 



size, and in the summer plumage. 



Bill yellow, with the tip black ; one inch three-eighths and 

 a-half in length. Streak from the bill to the eyes, 

 crown, and long occipital feathers, black, Forehead, 

 cheeks, forepart and sides of the neck, and the whole of 

 the under plumage, pure white. Back and wing-co- 

 verts pearl-grey. The three first quill-feathers blackish- 

 grey, with their inner webs deeply edged with white ; 



