ARCTIC TERN. 511 



Island, a tew miles south of the Farn Islands. The eggs, 

 two or three in number, are very much like those of the 

 Common Tern in shape, colour, and markings, but always 

 smaller in size, measuring one inch seven lines in length, 

 by one inch and one line in breadth. 



The adult bird in summer has the bill coral-red, the ex- 

 treme point sometimes black ; forehead, crown, and nape 

 black ; back, wings, and wing-coverts pearl-grey ; outer 

 web of the first primary lead-grey : tail-coverts and tail- 

 feathers almost white, the two longest tail-feathers on each 

 side grey on the outer webs ; cheeks white ; chin and 

 upper part of neck in front, and on the sides ash-grey ; 

 breast and all the under surface of the body as dark a 

 grey colour as that of the back ; legs, toes, and their mem- 

 branes orange-red. The whole length of the bird from 

 the point of the bill to the end of the middle, or short, tail- 

 feather twelve inches and a half, to the end of the longest 

 tail-feather two inches and a half more, or fifteen inches 

 whole length ; from the wrist to the end of the longest 

 quill-feather eleven inches ; length of the tarsus only half 

 an inch. 



A young bird of the year, nearly full grown, and mea- 

 suring thirteen inches, has the bill dull brown at the point, 

 the remainder red ; forehead dull white ; crown of the 

 head mottled black and white ; back of the head and nape 

 uniform dusky black ; back and wings pearl-grey ; outer 

 web of the first primary lead-grey, inner webs of all the 

 primaries light grey, almost white ; secondaries, tertials, 

 scapulars, and small wing-coverts tipped with white ; upper 

 tail-coverts and tail-feathers white, the three long tail- 

 feathers on each side with outer webs of slate-grey ; throat, 

 breast, and all the under surface of the body and wings 

 at this age nearly pure white ; legs, toes, and membranes 

 orange. 



