154 ROSEATE TERN. 



tion of the lower part of the orbit, jet black : the 

 black feathers on the hind head thinly diffused, and 

 flowing over the white down on the back of the neck : 

 the feathers on the sides of the head, extending in a 

 narrow line along the upper mandible to the nostrils, 

 and on the sides of the neck white : the whole under 

 parts are white, but the fore part of the neck, breast, 

 and belly, to beyond the vent, are tinged with a most 

 delicate rosy-black : the back scapulars and coverts 

 of the wings are pale cinereous-grey ; the quill-fea- 

 thers are narrow, the first has the exterior web black, 

 with a hoary tinge ; the others are hoary on that part ; 

 and part of the inner web next to the shafts of the 

 first three or four is hoary black, becoming by degrees 

 paler in the succeeding feathers, all deeply margined 

 with white quite to the tip, and the shafts of all are 

 white : length of the wing from the elbow to the ex- 

 tremity of the first quill-feather nine inches and a 

 quarter : the tail is greatly forked ; the outer feather 

 is seven inches long, extending two inches beyond 

 the wings when closed, extremely slender, and the 

 end for an inch or more slightly ciliated ; the middle 

 feathers are scarcely three inches in length ; they are 

 all white, destitute of any markings : the legs and 

 feet are bright orange ; the claws black." 



This elegant species was first discovered by Dr. 

 M'Dougall of Glasgow, who shot several specimens 

 in the West Highlands of Scotland, in July, 1812, 

 and communicated them to Montagu : since that pe- 

 riod it has been observed on the coasts of Picardy, in 

 France, by M. Laillotte ; and also in Norway, and 

 other parts of Europe. It feeds upon fish. 



