35° T E R 



i. Sterne Cafpia, JV. C. Petr. xiv. p. 582. N* $• '• 22 - fi g' 2 - ( p - S - Pallas.) 



* Sterna tfchegrava, A r . C. Petr. xiv. p. 500. 2. t. 13. 2. (J. Lepechin.) 



Cafpian Tern, ArB. Zaol. p. 526. B. 



Description. J ENGTH one foot ten inches and a half: breadth three 

 feet two inches. Bill crimfon : irides of a dull colour: 

 forehead, crown, hind head, and round the eyes, deep black, 

 here and there dotted with white ; and a fmall whitifh crefcent 

 on the lower eye-lid : the hind part of the neck, and all the 

 upper parts of the body, are hoary : fides of the neck, the fore 

 parts, and all beneath the body, the rump, and tail, white as 

 fnow; the 1 aft forked: the firft fix quills are deep afh-colour, 

 the margins and tips blackifh j the others in colour like the 

 back : legs black. In that defcribed by Pallas the baftard wing 

 was marked with fagittal black fpots ; and the legs reddifh 

 brown. 

 Place akd This is very frequent in the Cafpian Sea, and neighbouring parts, 



about the mouth of the Jaick ; wandering at times up the great 

 river Ob, even towards the Frozen Ocean. Fifties both in the fea 

 and rivers, much in the fame manner as the black-headed Gull. 

 At times feen fufpended in the air, and then all at once darting 

 into the water after zfifh ; at other times flamming the furface, 

 like a Swallow. Mixes with the Gulls on the rocks. Lays two 

 pretty large eggs, fpotted with brown. Its note is like a perfon 

 laughing. The Ruffians call it Tfchegrava. 



Br. 



