580 CLASS AYES. 



Lestris Poynarinus,* Tern. 



Size of a mouette ; brown, above ; white, under- 

 neath, with a brown collar on the breast. 



The Larus Parasiticus, Meyer, Voy. ij. t. 21. Lestris 

 Pomarina, Bonap. Arctic Gull. 



The Terns, or Sea Swallows. STERNA,t Lin. 



Derive their name from their wings being excessively- 

 long and pointed, and from their tail being pointed 

 and their feet short, which give them an appear- 

 ance, and a mode of flight, analogous to the swallows. 

 Their bill is pointed, compressed, straight, without 

 bendorprojection ; their nostrils are oblong, situated 

 towards the base, and pierced from side to side. The 

 membranes which unite their toes are strongly emar- 

 ginated ; hence they swim but little. They fly in 

 every direction, and with rapidity, on the surface 

 of the water, uttering loud cries, and carrying off 

 adroitly from the surface the mollusca and little 

 fish, on which they feed. They also come inland to 

 lakes and rivers. 



Great Tern. Sterna Hirundo, L. Enl. 987- Frisch. 

 219. Naum. 37, f. 52. Wilson, vij. t. 60, 1. 



Is common in spring, or on fresh waters. In its 



* I dare not affirm the identity of the Lestris Catarractes of Freyc. 38, 

 and of Stercoreus Pomarinus, Vieill. Gal. 288, with the above species. 

 According to Tem. the last is Lest Cataractes. 



\ Stern, or Tern, latinized by Turner, and admitted by Gesner. 



