R N. 



357 



Manners. 



irides hazel : forehead, crown, hind head, and fides above the 

 eye, black : the reft of the head, neck, under parts of the body, 

 and tail, white : the back and wings pale hoary lead-colour : the 

 firfh five quills hoary black, the inner webs deeply margined 

 with white ; the fixth like the others, but much paler ; the reft 

 of the quills like the back : the tail is forked, the outer /eather 

 fix inches and a quarter in length ; the wings reach rather beyond 

 it: legs and claws black : the under part of the feet dufky red. 

 Some fpecimens have the top of the head dotted with white. 

 In young birds the upper parts are much clouded with brown; 

 and the whole of the top of the head greatly mixed with white; 

 but this is not peculiar, as the young of other Terns with black 

 heads are in the fame ftate. 



This fpecies is pretty common on the coafts of Kent, in the Place and 

 fummer months, and breeds there : frequents that of Sandwich in 

 vaft flocks, and makes a fcreaming noife. May be fuppofed to lay 

 their eggs among the rocks in the month of June, and hatch them 

 before the middle of July, as I have received the young birds 

 from that diligent naturalift Mr. Boys, the end of Aiiguft 1784. 

 About the fame time a young bird, with nearly the fame mark- 

 ings, was fhot by Dr. Leith, of Greenwich, on the banks of the 

 Thames near that place*. Whether thefe birds only vifit us at 

 uncertain feafons, or have hitherto pafled unnoticed among other 

 Terns, we know not; but believe it has not yet been recorded as 

 a Britijh fpecies. A young bird of this kind is in the Leverian 

 Mufeum, but differed in having a mottling of black paffing 

 through the eye to the hind head : faid to have been brought 

 from South America. 



* A young one of this fpecies is mentioned to have been (hot near Sbreixjbury. 

 ArS. Zool. N°526. 



Sterna 



