286 BRITISH BIRDS. 



in consequence of the old routes of migration having been strictly observed, 

 the winter- quarters remain unchanged. In point of fact, the Arctic Tern 

 has not yet discovered the existence of the Pacific Ocean, and evidently 

 regards Behring's Sea and the Bay of Panama as a couple of lakes ! 



In the South Atlantic Ocean the Arctic Tern is represented by three 

 perfectly distinct species Sterna virgata, S. vittata, and S. hirundinacea, 

 which range from Tristan d'Acunha to Kergueleu Land and the southern 

 coasts of South America. 



The Arctic Tern reaches our coasts in spring, about the same time as 

 the Common Tern, during the last half of April, arriving at the Danish 

 islands early in May. It reaches Iceland during the first half of May : 

 Harvie-Brown and I did not observe it in the valley of the Petchora until 

 the 14th of June, but in the valley of the Yenesay it arrived on the 

 6th of June. On the last British Arctic expedition three Arctic Terns 

 appeared in the vicinity o the ' Alert's ' winter-quarters in Orinnell Land 

 on the 16th of June. The migration south commences in August and lasts 

 through September and October. 



In its habits the Arctic Tern differs very little from its relative the 

 Common Tern. During its sojourn on our coasts it frequents rocky islands 

 and sandy islets, and portions of the mainland coast that are both secluded 

 and furnish a suitable nesting-place. Like all the Terns the Arctic Tern 

 is gregarious and lives in colonies, sometimes of enormous size, at others 

 consisting only of a few pairs. On the wing it is even more graceful than 

 the Common Tern. It looks the perfection of elegance as it beats along 

 the coast, its long wings moved now slowly, now quickly, in a very Gull- 

 like manner. Flocks of these birds usually hunt for food in company, 

 flying along in a loose straggling manner. Every now and then one of 

 them drops suddenly down into the water as if shot, and rises again with a 

 little struggling fish in its bill. Sometimes it will convey its capture to 

 the nearest land, or not unfrequently sit on the water until it has eaten 

 it. It is surprising with what force this bird descends ; and the splash it 

 makes can be distinctly heard for half a mile across the water. Like the 

 Common Tern it rarely perches on the ground, save at its breeding-place 

 or when about to rest or sleep, and it seldom tries to walk far. The air is 

 its true element, and its long narrow wings seem never tired of bearing its 

 little body to and fro. It sometimes floats buoyantly on the water for a 

 short time, but never dives. 



The food of the Arctic Tern is composed of fry, small fish, crustaceans, 

 sand-eels, &c. It is very fond of sitting on old stumps, from which it 

 swoops down to catch a passing fish, in a very similar manner to the 

 Kingfisher. Like that of most Terns the call-note of the Arctic Tern is 

 a prolonged krr-ee ; but its alarm-note is more distinctive, and may be 

 represented by the syllable keer. 



