GULL-BILLED TERN 



Sterna Anglica, MONTAGU. BEWICK. FLEMING. SELBY. 



" JENYNS. EYTON. GOULD. 



Sterna ? Anglica Anglican English. 



MONTAGU appears to have been the first to distinguish this 

 'soi-disant' Anglican species, less peculiar to England than to 

 any other of the countries where it is known, and two others, 

 as will have been seen, do honour by their names to the 

 discrimination of English naturalists. 



It inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa, occurring in . Hungary, 

 Italy, Turkey, France, Jutland, Holland, Egypt, Nubia, India, 

 the Isles of Sunda, Java, the United States in North, and 

 the Brazils in South America. 



They breed in Denmark in the Sylt marshes. 



In the county of Norfolk, one of these Terns was shot at 

 Yarmouth, on the 31st. of July, 1849, and two others, a pair 

 of adult birds, male and female, at the same place on the 

 1st. of September that year; one the 24th. of May, 1850, and 

 one the beginning of July, 1851. In Yorkshire, one was 

 captured near Leeds, in the West Eiding, in July, 1843. In 

 Cornwall, a specimen was shot by John Jenkinson, Esq., at 

 Scilly, the end of May or beginning of June, 1852. Two in 

 1839, one of them in Kent, in the month of June. 



They addict themselves to salt-water lakes, swamps, and 

 other such localities. 



They migrate in May and September. 



They feed on winged and water insects, frogs and tadpoles, 

 small fish, taken up as they skim along, and worms, when 

 visible above ground; they are said also to prey on the eggs 

 and young 'of other birds. 



The note is like the syllables 'ha, ha, ha.' 



The nesting-places of this species are marshy grounds not 

 far from the sea-beach. A small hollow is scratched in the 

 sand or gravel, and in this a few stems of grass and small 

 roots are placed. 



