Birds of Britain 



blotched with dark brown. Its food consists largely of 

 aquatic insects and their larvae, dragon-flies and such like, 

 but it also feeds readily on small fish. 



South of the Baltic it breeds in suitable localities through- 

 out Europe, migrating from its more northerly summer 

 quarters to Africa. % 



The adult in summer has the head, neck, and under parts 

 dark greyish black, the rest of the plumage slate grey, 

 except the vent and under tail coverts, which are white. 

 Bill black. In winter the forehead, nape, chin, throat, and 

 under parts are white. The young resemble the adults in 

 winter, but the upper tail coverts are lighter and the back 

 and wing coverts are greyish mottled with brown. Length 

 10 in. ; wing 8*5 in. 



THE WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN 



Hydrochelidon leucoptera (Schinz) 



This species, which is nearly allied to the preceding, 

 breeds in the marshes of Central and South-eastern Europe. 

 It is a very scarce and irregular visitor to our eastern and 

 south-eastern shores, especially in spring. 



In habits it resembles the Black Tern, from which it 

 may be distinguished in summer by its red bill, white tail 

 and tail coverts, and whitish wing coverts. The young may 

 be distinguished from those of M. nigra by their longer toes 

 and much paler rump and tail. Length 9*5 in. ; wing 



8-25 in. 



350 



