98 HISTORY OF 



In winter, it loses the black markings of the head and neck, 

 and a few dusky dots appear behind the orbits. In the young 

 state, the whole of the plumage is mottled with brownish ash ; 

 legs and bill, black ; the lower mandible approaching in shape 

 to that of the Gull's, as the name of the bird imports, being 

 angulated at the point where the lateral portions meet. 

 Length, thirteen inches and a half; length of the bill from the 

 rictus to the point, two inches ; length of the middle toe, one 

 inch and three-tenths ; that of the tarsi, one inch and four-tenths. 



This species is at once distinguishable from the Sandwich 

 Tern, which, of our British species, it most resembles, by the 

 much greater length of the hind toe. The tibiae are much 

 denuded, denoting littoreal habits, which, we learn, it possesses 

 in an eminent degree. Wilson informs us, that his Sterna 

 Aranea, which we believe to be synonymous with the Sterna 

 Anglica of Montagu, lays three or four eggs of an olive green 

 colour, marked with brown. 



The Cut represents the bird in the summer plumage ; the 

 vignette in that of winter. 



