252 SOOTY TERN. 



sides of the neck pure white; rest of the plumage black; wings 

 very long and pointed, extending, when shut, nearly to the ex- 

 tremity of the tail, which is greatly forked, and consists of 

 twelve feathers, the two exterior ones four inches longer than 

 those of the middle, the whole of a deep black, except the two 

 outer feathers, which are white, but towards the extremities a 

 little blackish on the inner vanes; legs and webbed feet black, 

 hind toe short. 



The secondary wing feathers are eight inches shorter than 

 the longest primary. 



This bird frequently settles on the rigging of ships at sea, 

 and, in common with another species, S. Stolida, is called by 

 sailors the Noddy. 



