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at Nimes. Mr. J. Eay found it breeding in the departement de l'Aube, where it arrives late in 

 April and leaves at the end of August. 



It is found in Portugal, and, according to Dr. E. Rey, is very common. on the Tajo ; but he 

 did not meet with it in Algarve. When in Spain I not unfrequently saw it exposed for sale in 

 the markets of Valencia and Barcelona, and met with it not far from the latter town on a river 

 which had dried up into a succession of pools. Colonel Irby says that it appears in Spain late 

 in April, rather later than the Whiskered Tern, and nests in the same situations as that species, 

 but rather later ; and Mr. Howard Saunders speaks of it as being abundant in the marisma, and 

 very numerous in the rice-swamps of the east coast. Salvadori states that it is common in Italy 

 in the spring and autumn migrations ; and it is said to breed in the lagoons of Venice. Mr. A. B, 

 Brooke records it as not uncommon in Sardinia during the summer. Mr. C. A. Wright says that 

 it is occasionally met with in Malta in the autumn ; and he has lent me examples shot there 

 in August. 



In Southern Germany it is not uncommon. Dr. A. Fritsch says that it breeds commonly on 

 the small lakes near Wittingau, in Bohemia, also near Okor, Schisnik, Bohm-Leipa, Podebrad, 

 &c. ; and the late Mr. E. Seidensacher informed me that he now and again used to see it near 

 Cilli, in Styria. On the Danube it is very numerous as far up as Belgrade ; and as a straggler it 

 most likely occurs much higher up the river. Both Lindermayer and Von der Miihle speak of 

 it as being very common in Greece ; and the former adds that it is said to be resident on the 

 islands. Dr. Kriiper remarks that it arrives earlier than the White-winged Tern, but he does 

 not know if it remains to breed in Greece, or passes on further north. It is, however, known 

 to breed in Crete. It occurs in Southern Russia, and is stated to be common on the Caspian ; 

 and it has also been recorded from Asia Minor and Palestine. 



In North-east Africa it is somewhat uncommon ; but Von Heuglin says that it now and 

 again occurs in winter and spring on the coasts of both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and 

 ranges as far south as Kordofan. Loche records it as breeding in Algeria ; but Canon Tristram 

 says that he only observed it in the western Sahara. Favier (fide Colonel Irby) says that it is 

 " abundant near Tangier when on passage, crossing the straits in large nights during May, and 

 returning in September and October ; but they are not seen in the winter months." 



According to Mr. Sharpe Mr. Swanzy has received a specimen from Fantee; and Mr. 

 Andersson, who says that he met with it in Damara Land, observes that he never saw it on the 

 coast, but that it is common on many freshwater lakes, and, during the wet season, hunts over 

 the temporary rain-pools. Mr. Layard does not record its occurrence in the Cape colony ; but 

 Mr. Ayres says that he obtained it in the Transvaal. Mr. Howard Saunders, however, states 

 (P. Z. S. 1876, p. 643) that the birds collected by Mr. Ayres and others are H. leucoptera in 

 immature plumage, and he only knows of one specimen, obtained on the 4th January, 1871, at 

 the Cameroons, which is really referable to the present species. 



To the eastward the present species does not appear to range far ; and though it is said to be 

 common on the Caspian, and Dr. Severtzoff states that it breeds in Turkestan, I do not find any 

 record of its occurrence in India. 



In the Nearctic Region, however, the present species has a tolerably wide range, being found 

 in America from the New-England States down as far south as Peru and Chili. The American 



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