MARSH TERN. 83 



above the reach of shot, and move off at once to some considerable distance; 

 but when the female dropped, if on the water, the male would plunge head- 

 long toward her, and alighting by her side, would do all in his power to aid 

 her in swimming or flying off. If she fell on the ground, he would alight 

 there, and exhibit the same marks of anxious care, thus affording to the 

 gunner the best possible opportunity of destroying him. 



The Marsh Tern swims buoyantly but not swiftly, and when wounded 

 does not attempt to dive, but when taken in the hand bites rather severely, 

 though without uttering cries, in which latter respect it differs from the 

 other species. Whilst travelling or inspecting the pools of the marshes, or 

 the bayous intersecting them, it passes at a considerable height with quickly 

 repeated movements of the wings, and when looking for food, it darts 

 through the air and slides toward the waters, as if about to dive for fish. I 

 have observed them coming over large mud-flats and marshes to bayous, 

 apparently for the latter purpose; but I believe that these birds never im- 

 merse themselves in the water, as other Terns are wont to do; nor do I 

 think that they procure fish, as, on examining a number of individuals near 

 the mouths of the Mississippi, in Texas, and at Great Egg Harbour, I never 

 found any other food in their stomachs than insects of various kinds, includ- 

 ing coleoptera, which were unknown to me. In many instances, when near 

 the places first mentioned, my friend Edward Harris and myself saw 

 them catching insects on wing over a small pond of almost putrid water, the 

 surface of which was entirely covered with a thick green layer of water- 

 plants. The same manner of procuring food was observed over the dry 

 land at Barataria, where they seized insects by diving as it were close to the 

 ground and again rising to a considerable height. Their plunges were per- 

 formed with great velocity, generally by the males and females alternately. 

 In two or three instances, I have seen some of these birds plunge towards 

 the water at sea, but always close on the shore, and have supposed that when 

 insects are scarce on the land, particularly during their migration southward, 

 they may be forced to feed upon fish; but this is merely a supposition, in 

 support of which I have no fact to offer. I look upon what has been said as 

 to their feeding along the sea-shores "almost exclusively on strand birds and 

 their eggs," as ridiculous and absurd. 



On the 24th of May I observed this species mastered and driven from its 

 feeding grounds by the King-birds, Muscicapa Tyrannies, and the Martins, 

 Hirundo purpurea. I am inclined to believe that these birds migrate in 

 the same manner as many of our terrestrial species, that is, the females first, 

 by themselves, and afterwards the males. 



The Marsh Tern deposits its three eggs on the dried rushes found in the 

 salt marshes at a short distance from the water, and carefully placed beyond 



