528 Laridcv. 



flock of these birds fishipg in undisturbed enjoyment ; and Sir 

 William Jardine observes that all the Terns are very light, and 

 the body being comparatively small, the expanse of wings and 

 tail so buoys them up, that when shot in the air they are 

 sustained, their wings fold above them, and they whirl gently 

 down like a shuttlecock.* 



222. BLACK TERN (Sterna fissipca). 



The dark sooty colour of its plumage at once distinguishes 

 this species from its congeners. Although in every respect a 

 true Tern, it differs in habits from those previously described, 

 inasmuch as it seeks freshwater lakes and rivers in the interior, 

 where it lives upon such flies and other insects as suit its palate. 

 Hence it has more frequently been met with in Wiltshire than 

 any other of its congeners. Thus I was informed by Mr. Withers 

 that three specimens had been brought to him for preservation 

 in the spring of 1853, one of which was killed at Compton 

 Bassett by Mr. Heneage's keeper, and two at Berwick Bassett. 

 The Rev. G. Marsh showed me two in his collection which were 

 killed near Bath in 1845. .The Rev. Henry Methuen not only 

 recorded the capture of one at All Cannings on May 2nd, 1849, 

 but generously presented it to our Museum at Devizes (a very 

 considerate and liberal act, which I cannot too highly commend 

 to the imitation of any who may obtain specimens of our rarer 

 birds killed in Wiltshire), and Mr. Elgar Sloper informed me 

 that one was killed near Salisbury in 1840, and added to his 

 note in reference to this species, 'I may here remark that I 

 have scarcely known an April or October without hearing of the 

 occurrence of some of the Sternidce.' Mr. Baker possesses two 

 specimens in his collection, one killed 'at Mere in summer 

 plumage, and another shot at Norton Ferris in 1860 in winter 

 dress, and also records the capture of a third, which hovered 

 .over the water quite close to him when he was fishing at Steeple 

 Langford on April 29th, 1884, and which proved to be an adult 

 bird in full breeding plumage. The Rev. A. P. Morres, too, had 

 ' Birds of Middlesex,' p. 247. 



