THE LESSEE TERN. 407 



but the^young birds are mottled with black on those parts 

 which are ash colour in the mature birds. 



THE SANDWICH TERN (Sterna Boysii). 



This species was first discovered in Kent ; but it is pro- 

 bable that it breeds at different points along the south-east 

 of England. It is smaller than the former, but not so well 

 winged in proportion, and apparently not so discursive. It 

 is said to be more a sea bird. Length eighteen inches, 

 breadth thirty-three ; bill two inches long, black with a 

 yellow tip (the tips of terns' bills are subject to variations in 

 colour', ; feet black, irides dusky, head from the bill over the 

 eyes to the nape black, back and wing coverts grey, shafts 

 and inner webs of the primary quills white, part of the outer 

 webs pawdered with black ; all the under part white, the 

 neck and breast with a faint rosy tinge. In winter, the rosy 

 tinge vanishes, and the black upon the head becomes mottled 

 with white. 



The /oung have the head beautifully mottled with black, 

 and the back, partially the coverts of the wings, and the pro- 

 duced feathers of the tail, marked with the same colours, and 

 nearly in a similar manner. In that plumage they are, con- 

 trary to the habit of most birds, more handsome than when 

 mature. 



THE LESSER TERN (Stema '. 



The lesser tern is also in some respects an eastern bird, at 

 least it is found in the east of Europe, and also in Siberia. 

 It is likewise found in America. Indeed it is pretty gene- 

 rally distributed over the temperate and colder latitudes ; 

 and, although not a very common bird upon all parts of the 

 British shores, it is far from rare upon some, especially on 

 those of the fenny districts, or in the marshes, or even in the 

 ooze, but rather on the beaches of sand and shingle, where it 



