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THE CAYENNE TERN. 



Sterna cayana, Lath. 



PLATE CCLXXIII. Male. 



On reaching the entrance of the Httle port of St Augustine in East 

 Florida, I observed more Cayenne Terns together than I had ever before 

 seen. I had afterwards good opportunities of watching them both during 

 that season and the following, about the Keys. Their shyness surprised 

 me not a little, especially as they are very seldom molested, and it was 

 such that I could study their habits only with the aid of a good glass. I 

 found them at first in great flocks, composed of several hundred individuals, 

 along Avith Razor-billed Shearwaters, which also congregated there in 

 great numbers. During low water, both species resorted to a large flat 

 sand-bar in the middle of the channel, where they reposed until the re- 

 turn of the tide, sitting close together, in an easy posture, with their heads 

 facing the breeze. They kept separate, however, placing themselves in 

 parallel hnes twenty or thirty paces asunder, and either lay flat on the 

 sand, or stood up and plumed themselves. My attempts to procure some 

 of them were always futile, for they flew off when I was yet several hun- 

 dred yards distant, and moved directly towards the sea. It was pleasing to 

 see the whole of these birds take to wing at the same moment, the jetty 

 hue of the Shearwaters contrasting with the pale blue of the Terns, and 

 the brilliantly-coloured bills of both species, their different modes of 

 flight, and their various evolutions presenting a most agreeable sight. The 

 Terns on these occasions constantly emitted their harsh loud cries, while 

 the Shearwaters moved in perfect silence. After spending several days 

 in unsuccessful endeavours to approach them, I employed several boats, 

 which advanced towards the sands at several points, and we shot as many 

 as we wished, for as the flocks passed over any of the boats, several indi- 

 viduals were brought down at once, on which the rest would assail the 

 gunners, as if determined to rescue their brethren, and thus afford sub- 

 jects for them on Avhich to exercise their skill. We found it necessary to 

 use large shot, the Cayenne Tern being a strong and tough bird, the lar- 

 gest of the genus met with on our Atlantic coasts. When wounded, how- 

 ever slightly, they disgorged in the manner of Vultures; and when brought 



