228 SEA-SWALLOWS. 



to the water, that the under mandible just skims 

 below the surface, while the upper is kept wide 

 open, so that on its meeting with any floating sub- 

 stance, it closes immediately upon it. It is a bird 

 with little feet, long wings, and a forked tail ; but its 

 bill is so extraordinary, that there is no mistaking it 

 for the Sea- Swallow's, which in other respects it 

 closely resembles: the lower mandible is the shortest, 

 and the other shuts upon it like the two blades of a 

 pair of scissors. 



Terns, or Sea-Swallows, hare very long and very 

 pointed wings, with forked tails and short feet, in 

 which they resemble Swallows; but their mode of 

 flight is very different; not having that darting 

 rapid course, but a sort of graceful gliding motion, - 

 sometimes high in the air, then falling, as if they had 

 lost their balance. Though perfectly web-footed, 

 they never swim, but take their food, consisting of 

 small fishes or insects, by descending to the water, 

 and gently touching the surface with their beaks. 



We have four species in this country, either resi- 

 dents, or occasional visiters. Those which breed 

 here, generally lay three or four eggs, without any 

 nest, preferring a low shingly shore, on which, we 

 believe, the bird sits in the usual manner ; but as it 

 has been ascertained that an American species de- 

 posits her eggs in a similar situation, and leaves 

 them to be hatched principally by the heat of the 

 sun, the parent bird only sitting upon them during 

 the night, it would be worth an observer's while to 

 look after our Terns, and see how far they resemble 

 their American connexions. 



They are very tame; and we have approached one 



