242 GREAT TERN. 



plunges, and that from a considerable height, too, headlong on 

 their prey, which they never seize but with their bills. In the 

 evening, I have remarked, as they retired from the upper parts 

 of the bays, rivers and inlets, to the beach for repose, about 

 breeding time, that each generally carried a small fish in his bill. 

 As soon as the young are able to fly, they lead them to the 

 sandy shoals and ripples where fish are abundant; and while they 

 occasionally feed them, teach them by their example to provide 

 for themselves. They sometimes penetrate a great way inland, 

 along the courses of rivers; and are occasionally seen about all 

 our numerous ponds, lakes and rivers, most usually near the 

 close of the summer. 



This species inhabits Europe as high as Spitzbergen; is found 

 on the arctic coasts of Siberia and Kamtschatka, and also on our 

 own continent as far north as Hudson's Bay. In New England 

 it is called by some the Mackerel Gull. It retires from all these 

 places, at the approach of winter, to more congenial seas and 

 seasons. 



The Great Tern is fifteen inches long, and thirty inches" b in 

 extent; bill reddish yellow, sometimes brilliant crimson, slightly 

 angular on the lower mandible, and tipt with black; whole up- 

 per part of the head black, extending to a point half way down 

 the neck behind, and including the eyes; sides of the neck, and 

 whole lower parts, pure white; wing quills hoary, as if bleached 

 by the weather, long and pointed; whole back, scapulars and 

 wing, bluish white, or very pale lead colour; rump and tail-co- 

 verts white; tail long and greatly forked, the exterior feathers 

 being three inches longer than the adjoining ones, the rest short- 

 ening gradually for an inch and a half to the middle ones, the 

 whole of a pale lead colour; the outer edge of the exterior ones 

 black; legs and webbed feet brilliant red lead; membranes of 

 the feet deeply scalloped; claws large and black,. middle one the 

 largest. The primary quill feathers are generally dark on their 

 inner edges. The female differs in having the two exterior 

 feathers of the tail considerably shorter. The voice of these 

 birds is like the harsh jarring of an opening door, on its rusted 



