THE ROSEATE TETJ^T. 273 



On the 13tli of June, 1832, the Mew Island was again visited, 

 and by shooting at a few of the terns indiscriminately as they 

 came within shot, we procured one of the roseate, one of the 

 common, and eight of the arctic species. I could distinguish the 

 roseate when on wing from the other two by its colour and by 

 its note, which (as well observed by Mr. Selby) resembles the 

 word crake, uttered in a hoarse grating key. There were many 

 of them. Their flight was still more graceful and buoyant than 

 that of the other species. When they 



" Sail upon the bosom of tlie air," 

 the tail is borne so as to appear pointed; but is generally beau- 

 tifully spread when their nest is approached, and they swoop to- 

 wards the intruder in anger. Under similar circumstances, 

 hawks of different species have the same habit. I have ob- 

 served terns, too, apparently when not intent on prey, frequently 

 pause, kestrel-like, in their flight, and remain with their bodies 

 stationary in the air, but flapping their wings very quickly. 

 Another tern cries pirre, from which call the whole genus here 

 takes its name ; — a third cry is che-eep, cheep, or chip), when ut- 

 tered quickly ; but this proceeded from birds so liigli in the air, 

 that their species could not be determined, and I had to remain 

 in ignorance whether this was the call of a third, or whether one 

 species may not possess the two different calls. "^ The darker hue 

 of the under plumage of S. arctica is not always so obvious as to 

 enable us to distinguish it from 8. hirundo on wing. 



On the 24th of June, 1833, the Mew Island was again vi- 

 sited by Mr. William Sinclaire and myself. As in former 

 years, we fired at all the terns that came within range, until 



p. 243), with reference to gulls, that " it is positively asserted by the light-keepers 

 as a very extraordinary fact, that they all instinctively return to the South Stack 

 during the same night, on or about the 10th of February. * * * Jn \}^^. 

 middle of the night they are warned of their arrival by a great noise, as it were a 

 mutual greeting and cheering." In this work, p. 235, the tern is alluded to in a 

 very interesting manner, in connection with the " Narrative of the Loss of the 

 Lady Hobart packet." 



* This would seem to be the cry of the arcti<; tern, from Audubon's remark, tiiat 

 it resembles " the syllables creek, creek " (vol. iii. p. 309) ; but this Cidl was less 

 frequent than pirre, considered that of Sterna hirundo, by no means so numerous as 

 the former species here. 



VOL, III. T 



