536 BLACK TERN. 



suitable places for their nests. One of their favourite ponds still remains 

 in part, although a great portion of it has been drained. It is now known 

 by the name of _Hope-Distillery Pond, and lies a few hundred yards from 

 the Ohio, but is nearly surrounded with buildings of various kinds. Alex- 

 ander Wilson, to whom I shewed the old nests of the Black Tern at 

 this place, did not seem to be acquainted with the bird, and thought that 

 they were those of some species of Rail. 



The nest is usually placed on the top of a broken tussock of the rank- 

 est grasses, of which it is itself composed, it being of a flattish form, and 

 about two inches thick. It is enlarged or renewed every year, some nests 

 being found to be from four to six inches in height. In some instances 

 the water surrounds the foot of the tussock on which it is placed. They 

 begin to lay on the first days of June. The eggs, of which the full num- 

 ber is four, greatly resemble in colour those of the Sandwich and Arctic 

 Terns. When disturbed at this season, these birds are as noisy as any of 

 the tribe ; but they remain close over the place, and go to the river only 

 at intervals to procure food. Both sexes incubate by turns, and the eggs 

 are kept constantly covered. They average in length one inch and three- 

 eighths by one inch across, and are nearly of an elliptical form, being but 

 slightly pointed at one end ; their ground colour is greenish-buff, spotted 

 and dashed with reddish umber and black, more abundantly toward the 

 middle. I took the trouble of counting the number of nests round the 

 pond, and found it more than seventy. About the middle of August the 

 young fly well, and are able to seek food for themselves. I have seen the 

 parent birds feed them on wing in the manner of swallows. 



They alight less frequently on the water than the larger species. On 

 shore they walk like swallows. During autumn they hunt for food over 

 the wet prairies, passing low, and picking up the insects as they proceed 

 without ahghting. At this season, both old and young have become more 

 silent. They are at all times less shy than most others of the tribe. Their 

 principal food consists of aquatic insects and small fry, and their flesh is 

 tolerably good. 



Since I wrote the above notice, I have been informed by my youngest 

 son that this species was still seen about the Falls of the Ohio, in con- 

 siderable numbers, a few years ago ; but that, although he observed them 

 there in spring, summer, and early autumn, he did not discover their 

 breeding grounds, which are perhaps now farther inland than formerly. 



