BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 195 



called common species; but the mature bird may 

 readily be distinguished from it by its uniform red 

 bill, which in the Common Tern is tipped with black, 

 by its shorter tarsi, longer tail, extending beyond 

 the closed wings, as well as the uniform slaty-grey 

 of the underparts. 



They nest in considerable numbers on the Farn 

 Islands, where they exceed the common species as ten 

 to one*, also on Coquet Island; a few pairs also 

 continue to nest annually in two or three localities 

 on the Lincolnshire coast. They are common in the 

 autumn in the neighbourhood of Flamborough, as 

 well as at Spurn Point, where I have met with them 

 in considerable flocks, and far in excess of the pre- 

 ceding species. 



The Arctic Tern, as its name implies, ranges very 

 far north. It was observed by Dr. Kane on the shores 

 of the open Polar Sea. 



253. STERNA MINUTA, Linnaeus. Lesser Tern. 



Provincial. Small Sea-Swallow. 



This beautiful and delicate-looking little creature, 

 the smallest of our English Terns, nests annually at 

 Spurn Point, but in greatly reduced numbers, the 

 Act for the Protection of Sea-Fowl fortunately coming 

 just in time to prevent its complete extinction f. 



* See " Notes on the Fame Isles," by Mr. W. Brown (Zoolo- 

 gist, 1866, p. 484). 



t It is satisfactory to know that since the passing of the Act 

 the Lesser Terns have considerably increased in this locality. 



K2 



