The Zoologist— October, 1870. 2321 



naturalist, might well be forgiven for not knowing the distinction. 



One word more, let us never put in the mouths or minds of those who 



differ from ourselves words they have not uttered or sentiments they 



have not expressed. An author of the highest reputation argues that 



no saurian could exist in the ocean, and so as he supposes ends the 



controversy : let me remind him, in the first place, that no seaman has 



called it a saurian ; in the second place, that if we translate serpent into 



the language of Science it means "ophidian," not "saurian;" and 



thirdly, that although an accomplished naturalist like himself or like 



Mr. Adams, might reasonably be supposed liable to mistake the root of 



a tree for a snake, sucha latitude cannot be allowed to the practised 



mariner whose home is on waters, and to whom such objects are as 



familiar as the albatross or the petrel, the porpoise or the whale, and 



whose eyes are trained by constant practice to estimate every object at 



its proper value. 



Edward Newman. 



A List of the Birds of Cornwall. By Edward Hearle Rood, Esq. 

 (Concluded from Zool. S. S. 2280). 



Sandwich Tern. — A few pairs observed in the summer months on 

 some of the islands at Scilly, where they annually breed : found 

 sparingly on the Land's End coast. 



Roseate Tern. — Abundant in summer at Scilly : breeds on Annet, a 

 Scilly rock, and some other localities near. The bird exhibits in 

 summer a most delicate hectic glowing blush-red on the throat, breast, 

 and belly, which is more or less evanescent in some lights. The egg 

 of the roseate tern is generally less blotched and more elongated than 

 that of the arctic tern. 



Common Tern. — More or less common in the summer in Mount's 

 Bay, approaching nearer the shore in windy weather: less abundant 

 at Scilly than the roseate or arctic terns, but it breeds annually there. 

 The breast of the common tern in summer is of a glossy pearl-gray, 

 sometimes approaching to nearly white : the base of the bill more 

 scarlet-red than that of the arctic tern, which is shorter and coral-red 

 throughout. 



Arctic Tern. — A common species in summer both on our coast and 

 at Scilly, at which latter locality its eggs may be obtained every year. 

 In some seasons various parts of England are visited with large flights 

 of these birds. The breast of the arctic tern is of a bluish and deep 

 gray, as distinguished from that of the common tern. 



