BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 373 



Sanbwtcb Gent 



THE Sandwich Tern (Sterna cantiaca, Gmelin) is a summer 

 visitor to the British Isles, and is also found inhabiting 

 most parts of temperate Europe and Northern Africa, as well 

 as South-Western Asia. The adult in summer has the fore- 

 head, crown, and occipital feathers, rich black ; back and 

 wings, pearl-grey; tips of secondaries and upper quills, nearly 

 white ; fore part of breast and under parts, tinged with 

 delicate pink ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail, white 

 and forked ; bill, black, tipped with pale yellow ; legs and 

 feet, black. Length, about fifteen inches. The female is 

 shorter in the tail, and shows less pink on breast. The 

 young are pale brown above, varied with black primaries, 

 greyish-black, margined and tipped with white. 



