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4 



Africa to the Cape of Good Hope. Messrs. Shelley and Buckley obtained it at Accra and Cape- 

 Coast Castle ; it has been met with on the Senegal coast ; DuChaillu obtained it on the Camma 

 river ; Bocage records it from Benguela ; Andersson states that it is common at Walwich Bay, 

 and occurs on all parts of the coast between that locality and Table Bay ; and Mr. E. L. Layard 

 (B. of S. Afr. p. 370) says that it is pretty common throughout the sea-board of the Cape colony ; 

 and it is stated to be numerous about Capetown. It also inhabits the Canary Islands; and 

 Mr. F. DuCane Godman states (Ibis, 1872, p. 222) that it is said to inhabit Lanzarote and Fuer- 

 teventura, and to breed in Alegranza. 



To the eastward the Sandwich Tern is found at least as far as Sindh. Mr. Blanford records 

 it (E. Pers. ii. p. 294) as common in the Makran coast; and according to Mr. A. O. Hume (Stray 

 Feathers, i. p. 285) it is exceedingly plentiful in the Kurrachee harbour, and everywhere along 

 the coast from the mouths of the Indus to Gwader ; and he also procured it at Muscat. 



In the Nearctic Region the Sandwich Tern is found, Dr. Coues says, on the Atlantic coast 

 of North America to Southern New England, the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, ranging into Central 

 America on both coasts, breeding in Honduras, and straggling south into Brazil. I have met 

 with it on the Atlantic coast, but did not observe it when collecting on the coasts of Texas and 

 Mexico. Dr. Coues says that in North Carolina it is chiefly a migrant, but also a winter resident, 

 sparingly, but none pass the summer there. It becomes numerous early in April, and remains 

 through part of May, returning in September (a few probably somewhat earlier), and is very 

 common until December. Mr. Salvin says (Ibis, 1866, p. 198) that it is very common on both 

 coasts of Guatemala ; and Mr. Howard Saunders possesses a specimen from Bahia, which is as 

 far south as it appears to have been noticed. 



Like all its allies, the Sandwich Tern is more frequently seen on the wing than perched or 

 on the water. Its flight is strong and rapid ; and it propels itself swiftly forward with sharp 

 regular strokes of the wings, almost like a Pigeon. Should its breeding-station be invaded, the 

 tenants of the nests sail round above, occasionally dashing down close to the intruder, uttering 

 their sharp harsh cry. Like most of its allies it feeds chiefly on small fish, which it catches by 

 plunging down on them, like the common Tern, after hovering for a moment to poise itself in 

 the air. Like most of the Terns it is eminently sociable, and is found in large societies not only 

 during the breeding-season but also in the winter ; and they only disperse when engaged in the 

 pursuit of their finny prey. They do not seek their food on the marshes, but outside on the 

 coast, sometimes near the shore, and at others further out, according to the state of the weather ; 

 and during heavy, stormy weather they are said to fish amongst the breakers. When fishing they 

 keep on the wing about twelve to twenty feet above the surface of the water, every now and then 

 hovering over one spot, and, when a suitable fish is seen, plunging swiftly down on it, sometimes 

 disappearing altogether for a moment under the surface. 



This Tern is noisy ; and its harsh call-note, which Von Droste not inaptly renders by the 

 words Mrrhitt, kerrhitt, may continually be heard where the bird is found. The breeding-colonies 

 frequently contain large numbers of birds, and the nests are placed close together; but though 

 they do not brook intruders of other species amongst them, yet one frequently finds other sea- 

 birds breeding in the immediate vicinity. The place selected for nidification is usually a flat 

 sandy place near the sea, either bare of vegetation or where there is a short growth of grass ; 



