3G8 THE EIKDS OF DEVOX. 



far as Exeter in September, and numbers were knocked down by boys 

 ■with their caps and sticks (K. C). Immature birds were plentiful at 

 Exmouth and at Plymouth in 8ept. 1S6G (E. P., Trans. Devon. Assoc, 

 viii. p. 3o2 ; J. G., Zool. 18G0,p. 5U0) ; and many came up the Exe as far 

 as Stoke Canon in Sept. 18Gb, Some were seen on Torbav, Sept. 1st, 

 1869 (Zool. L^GO, p. 1!J17). 



Adult birds are much rarer, but in April 1852 we saw in the flesh 

 several that were killed on the Exe estuary, near Topsham. A flock 

 appeared on the Axe at Scaton in April 18GG (J. G., MS. Xotes), and an 

 adult was killed on the Avon in the parish of Aveton Gifl'ord on April 30th 

 of that year, and another at Salcombe a few days after (H. X., Zool. 18G6, 

 p. 52G ; K. P. X. and E. A. S. E., MS. Xotes). A pair were obtained at 

 Plymouth, May 0th, 1:^G7 (P»., MS. Xotes). An adult was killed on a 

 pond near Colmer, April 22nd, 1890 (E. A. S. E.). 



The bird killed on the estuary of the Axe in July 18G9 was probably 

 an example of this species, and not a " Sooty Tern '' as stated by Eev. J. 

 B. Selwood (' P'ield,' July 17th, 18G9). The time of occurrence is, how- 

 ever, very unusual. Mouta,2:u met with a specimen of the Elack Tern 

 at the beginning of Xov. 18U2 in Devonshire (^Orn. Diet.), and one is said 

 to have occurred near Exeter in the winter of 1848 (W. 11. S,, Zool. 

 1849, p. 2385). 



This small species of Tern is a regular autumnal visitor to the Xorth 

 Devon estuaries, where it may be observed in company with other Terns, 

 or flying over the small pools in the salt-marshes adjoining the rivers, 

 presenting some resemblance to a large Swallow. "We never saw any in 

 the spring in Xorth Devon in the complete black plumage, b ut have 

 received examples from the Somerset peat-moors. Those which visit our 

 waters in the autumn are chiefly young birds in immature jjlumage, with 

 a few adults in a transition stage between the spring and winter dress. 

 In 1859 large flights appeared on the sand-flats at Barnstaple. 



In Cornwall Mr. llodd states that it is rare in the spring, but he him- 

 self received three in full black dress which had been shot on a pond near 

 the Land's End in Ajtril. In the autumn it is not uncommon on the 

 coast. In Dorsetbhire it is an uncertain visitor in the spring and autumn, 

 and rather scarce. We have frequently seen young Black Terns in Sep- 

 tember, flying over pools by the side of the Somerset Axe near Weston- 

 super-Mare. 



The Black Tern used formerly to nest on many of the fen-lands in the 

 Eastern Counties, where it was well known as the ' Blue Darr,* by which 

 name it was reported to us as breeding on Otmoor, a fen not far from 

 Oxford, in our undergraduate days. There are none nesting anywhere in 

 England at the present day, but throughout the Continent the Black Tern 

 is found as an abundant bi'eediug species on most suitable marshes. 



