THE SPECIES. 123 



The Arctic Tern — Dimensions, Mo ; Eggs, Kd — breeds on our northern coasts, and is 

 with us from May to October. Its cry is " give, give, give.'* It lays two or three eggs in a 

 hole among the shingle, which are recognisable by being aUke and thereby differing from the 

 pebbles. 



The Sandwich Tern — Dimensions, Ms ; Eggs, Nn — was first described from a specimen 

 found at Sandwich, in Kent. It is a regular summer visitor. Its flight and nesting arrange- 

 ments are similar to those of the Arctic Tern. Its call is "correct." Its tail is unusually 

 deep in the fork. 



The Sooty Tern — Dimensions, Nj ; Eggs, Nd— has strayed over here across the Atlantic 

 two or three times. 



The Roseate Tera— Dimensions, Nm ; Eggs, Lc — used to breed on the Fames and Scillies, 

 but is now rare. Its primaries have their inner web white throughout, and the outer feathers 

 of the tail are six inches lunger than the middle ones. Its cry is " crake," and its eggs are 

 two or three laid in the usual hollow. 



The Caspian Tern — Dimensions, PI ; Eggs, Qe — is only occasionally seen here lis cry 

 is " krake-kra." Its tail is only slightly forked. 



StrepsUas. Plate xxvi. CHARADRIID^. 



302. interpres, 9 in. TURNSTONE. Black and white ; chestnut and 



brown on shoulders and wings ; bill short and black ; 

 remiges 25 ; legs orange ; toes cleft to base. 



The Turnstone— Dimensions, Ht ; Eggs, Kb— is a shore bird, vibiting us in spring and 

 autumn on its way to and from the north. In winter it loses the chestnut in its plumage, 

 and its legs become of a paler yellow. Its note U a shj'ill whistle, with a " keet, kitterrr " 

 when on the wing. 



Strix. Plate xili. STRIGID^. 



161. Jlammea, 13 in. BARN OWL. Facial disk complete ; no plumicorns ; 

 operculum large ; plumage tawny buff above, face 

 and under parts whitish ; bill yellow ; 24 remiges, 

 second primary longest but only a little longer than 

 first and third ; feet generally with bristles ; claws 

 black, middle claw serrated. 



The Barn Owl — Dimensions, Le ; Eggs, Ld — is our commonest owl. It has a leisurely 

 noiseless flight. Its cry is a screech ; and it snores. The female is, as usual, the larger bird. 

 I'here is no ne^t. The eggs are laid in some hole in a church tower or other building, 

 there are from two to seven of them, and it is supposed that they are usually laid in pairs. 



Sturnus. Plate ix. STURNIN^ (Passeridse). 



120. vulgaris^ 8 in. Starling. Plumage bronze blue and black, 



thickly spotted with small triangles of buft ; remiges 

 with pale brown margins ; second primary longest. 



The Starling — Dimensions, Hb ; Eggs, Go — is gregarious and only rarely found alone. He 

 has a straight, strong flight, with a rapid flapping and then a glide, with a, sudden descent ; 

 but he can perform the most remarkable evolutions in the air when in chase of insects. The 

 natural note is a scream and a twitter, but a Starling is a born mimic. In summer his bill is 

 yellow ; in winter, when he is more spotted, it is horn colour. The eyes of the male are all 

 black, those of the female have a brown iris. The female is more spotted than the male. 

 The nest is in a hole in a house, or in a tree, or anywhere. It is a slovenly mass of grass, or 

 of sticks, straws, and miscellaneous matter, spring, paper, and rags. There are from four tu 

 seven eggs. 



Sula. Plate xvii. PELECANIDM, 



2or. bassana, 31 in. Gannet. Plumage white, except head and neck, 



which are buff, and primaries, which are black. 



The Gannet — Dimensions, Sj ; Eggs, Rq — has a curious black pencilling round the beak, 

 which makes the gape line look much longer ihan it really is. The flight is rapid, but easy, 

 with a good deal of high soaring without much efibrt. The call is simply ** grog," given 

 with every phase of emphasis and expression. The full plumage is not attained till the sixth 

 year ; young birds are blackish brown with white spots, and the older they get the whiter 

 they get. The Gannet breeds in colonies on rocky ledges. The nests are of seaweed, straw, 

 and turf. There is but one egg. 



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