62 1 



THE HOSE ATE TERN. 



are rather new species, not familiar to the general reader, as, indeed, is the case with several 

 others, all of which we indicate, as it is thought desirable to keep a general view of all the 

 American species, though we may not find it desirable to add any considerable details. Other 

 species inhabiting North America are the Mew, Heerman's Gull, Laughing Gull, Franklin's 

 Gull, Bonaparte's, Ross's, Sabine's, and Swallow-tail. 



The Laughing Gull is very common on our South Atlantic and Gulf shores, where it has 

 a habit of chasing the pelicans and causing them to share food with them. 



ROSS'S tiCLL.— Rhodoetetlda rosea. 



Tup: name of Scissok-bill {Rhynchops nigra), is very appropriately given to this species. 



This remarkable Gull has a long and much -com pressed beak, the lower mandible being 

 much longer than the upper, rather flatter, and shutting into the upper like a knife-blade into 

 the handle. The Scissor-bill is found along the coast of America and part of Africa. This 

 is also called the Black Skimmer, or Cut-water, from its remarkable shears-like bill. It is 

 seen off the Jersey coast and southward. The singular bill is the only unusual feature. From 

 its habit of scooping its bill along the surface of the sea for its food, it is called Skimmer. 



TERNS. 



The common Tern, or Sea Swallow, is very plentiful <>n our coasts, and may be seen 

 flying along on rapid wing, its long forked tail giving it so decidedly a swallow-like air, that 

 its popular name of Sea Swallow is well applied. 



Another rather celebrated species of Tern is the Noddy (Annus stolidus). 



This bird is spread over many portions of the world. It often alights on vessels by night, 

 ami as it does not see well except in daylight, suffers itself to be easily caught. This habit 

 has sometimes had a most providential effect, and saved the lives of sailors adrift in a boat 

 without provisions. 



Among several other species of Terns may be mentioned the Sooty Tern (Sterna fnti- 

 (jinosa), sooty-black above, and white below ; the Lesser Tern (Sterna minuta), a very small 

 species, only eight or nine inches in length ; the Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia), a tine species, 

 twenty inches lorn;- ; the Roseate Tern (Sterna paradisea), remarkable for the rosy-white 

 hue of its under surface : and several other species, all resembling each other in habits and 

 general form. 



