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elevated object. It is said to be shyer and more distrustful than its allies — though, should its 

 breeding-haunts be invaded, it will sometimes dash down and strike at the intruder. It feeds 

 on insects and their larvse, as well as small fish, and sometimes on worms, but chiefly on water- 

 insects, which it picks up from the surface of the water ; but Naumann mentions that it occa- 

 sionally visits grain-fields in the vicinity of the swamps it inhabits, and picks the insects off the 

 ears of grain. 



It breeds in almost inaccessible swamps, its eggs being deposited late in May or early in 

 June, in a nest similar to that of the Black Tern — three, or very seldom four, being the usual 

 number deposited. I possess eggs from Hungary which closely resemble those of the Black 

 Tern ; but, if any thing, the markings are rather more scattered, giving the egg a lighter 

 appearance. 



The specimens figured are, on the first Plate, an adult male in full plumage, together with 

 a mottled female from the Volga, which is losing the winter dress and assuming the spring- 

 plumage, and on the second Plate a young bird of the year, together with the young in down, 

 all being the specimens above described. The young bird of the year is from the collection of 

 Mr. Howard Saunders ; but the other three examples are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



a, 6 ad. Biskra, Algeria (Fairmaire). b. Malta, May (C. A. Wright), c. Malta, May 8th, 1867 [C.A. W.). 

 d, e , d ,f,ff,h, 2- Sarepta, May (H. F. Moschler). i,pull. Volga (H. F. Moschler). 



E Mus. C. A. Wright. 

 a,d,b,c,$. Malta, May 1871 (C. A. W.). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a,d,b,2. Volga district, June 2nd. c,juv. Same place, August. d, pullus. Same place, July 1869 

 [Moschler). e,6. South Russia, May. /, 2 . Prat, Isle of Majorca, May 17th, 1870 (H. S.). g, 6 ■ 

 Albufera de Valencia, July 25th, 1873 {Martin). h,sjuv. Transvaal, December 9th, 1873 (T. E. 

 Buckley). i,juv. Bogos, Abyssinia (Jesse). 



E Mus. R. Swinhoe. 

 a, 6 . Amoy, China, May 1856. b, ad., cjuv. Takoo, August 1860 [R. S.). djuv. Celebes. 



E Mus. E. Booth, 

 a, b, c, d. Breydon, May 1871. e,f, g, h, i, k. Hickling Broad, May 1873 (E. B.). 



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