106 
STERN ID-E, 
notice of many persons ; but we must express some surprise 
that Temminck should not have given more particulars of 
this bird, and that he should be unacquainted with its winter 
plumage, and the particulars of its nidification. 
The locality chosen by the Silver-winged species, agrees 
perfectly with that of the black tern ; it breeds in the same 
kind of spots, and its nest is in every respect the same in 
formation and deposition; the eggs only differ in size and 
colour ; the number of eggs is generally three, but some¬ 
times four, their size fourteen lines by eleven, and more cir¬ 
cular than egg-shaped ; their ground colour is dull olive yellow, 
with many greyish brown spots, also reddish black spots of 
larger size, but less than those that appear bn the egg of the 
black tern. The male and female incubate the eggs by turns, 
and are very watchful over them, flying at dogs or men on their 
approach to the nest, and continuing to hover over them till 
they have left their immediate vicinity. 
At other times the present species is by far more shy than 
the black tern, also greatly quicker on the wing, and con¬ 
sequently not easily shot, which may in some measure account 
for the few specimens obtained hitherto. 
The best means of killing one of the present species is by 
using a double-barrelled gun ; when, after shooting one of the 
black terns, an opportunity maybe obtained of getting one of 
the Silver-winged species within shot when it comes to the 
intended aid of the Avounded bird. 
The food consists in insects, dragon-flies, and the small 
fry of fish. 
The entire length of the adult bird of this species 
is nearly nine inches, the expanse tAventy-four and a half 
inches ; the Aving from the carpus to the tip eight inches eight 
lines ; the outer tail-feather full three inches ; the tips of the 
Avings reach about three inches beyond the tip of the tail 
