LESSER TERN. 



STERNA MINUTA. 



Family LARID^E. Genus STERNA. 



Little Tern. 



The Lesser Tern may be classed as a rare bird 

 compared with the other Terns. It is a late arrival, 

 reaching us about the middle of May and departing 

 again at the beginning of September. 



It breeds in the Orkneys and on several spots round 

 the Scotch coasts ; also on a few spots on the English 

 coasts, principally on the eastern and southern sides, 

 and sparingly in a few spots of Ireland. 



In its habits it is similar to those birds of the same 

 family which we have already mentioned. Its food 

 consists of small fish and marine insects, and its 

 appearance is very similar to that of the Arctic Tern, 



