Food. 
Incuba- 
tion, &c. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Adult bird. 
Summer 
plumage. 
476 NATATORES. STERNA. TERN. 
smallest, not exceeding nine inches in extreme length, and 
measuring in extent of wing about twenty inches. The 
communities in which it breeds are seldom so numerous as 
those of the preceding and other species, and it is rarely 
found in company with them. Thus, upon the coast of 
Northumberland, the Lesser Tern is not an inhabitant of the 
Fern Islands, the great resort of those already described ; 
but this bird annually breeds in a small colony, about eight 
or nine miles distant, upon the beach of the mainland, near 
to Holy Island It is plentiful in the Frith of Forth, where 
it occupies stations on both sides of the arm of the sea; and 
is met with in various parts upon the western shores of the 
island, and also on the Lincolnshire coast, in which latter 
place, according to Monracu, it is very abundant. In this 
species the bill is large, strong, and almost strait, the upper 
mandible being very little arched. It is an oceanic bird, 
being only accidentally met with inland, or upon fresh-water — 
lakes and rivers.—Its food consists of marine insects and the 
fry of different fish. Its habits are so similar to those of the 
other species, as to require no particular detail.—Its eggs 
are generally two in number, sometimes three, which are de- 
posited on the bare gravel or sand, just beyond the reach of 
the highest tides. Their colour is a pale wood-brown, or 
oil-green, blotched with brown of different shades. The 
Lesser Tern arrives on our coasts, and departs nearly at the 
same periods as the other species. 
Prate 89. Fig. 3. represents the Adult Bird of the natural 
size, and in the summer plumage. 
Bill yellow, with the tip black ; one inch three-eighths and 
a-half in length. Streak from the bill to the eyes, 
crown, and long occipital feathers, black, Forehead, 
cheeks, forepart and sides of the neck, and the whole of 
the under plumage, pure white. Back and wing-co- 
verts pearl-grey. The three first quill-feathers blackish- 
grey, with their inner webs deeply edged with white ; 
