LESSER TERN. 
95 
NATATORES. 
UTERNlDAi. 
PLATE CCXCIV. 
LESSER TERN. 
STERNA MINUTA. 
The Lesser Tern is also a periodical visitant in Great 
Britain ; by far less numerous than the several foregoing 
species, and apparently choosing a locality of its own, or 
rather keeping separate from the others of its family, 
during its stay on our coast. 
This species extends in Europe over most sea-girt coun¬ 
tries, as high north as the fifty-eighth degree; in Asia it 
is equally known, as well as in America, from New York 
to the gulf of Mexico, and again on the western coast of 
A frica; on the Canary Islands it is frequent during the 
time of migration. On the coasts of Holland and France, 
as well as the more northern coasts, such as Holstein, and 
the mouth of the rivers Elbe, Weiser, &c., this bird is 
common, although nowhere very numerous. 
Although the Lesser Tern is an oceanic bird, as Selby 
calls it, yet it is frequently found on inland lakes and 
rivers; and, as the bird prefers a gravelly or shingly locality, 
it is natural that it should be more frequently met with 
