90 THE SOOTY TERN. 



The Female is similar to the male. 



The young, after the first moult, are of a light greyish-blue colour on the 

 upper parts, the feathers tipped and banded in an undulating manner with 

 brownish-black; the upper part of the head and the hind neck are of the 

 latter colour, but mottled with white. The quills are as in the adult, the tail 

 grey, with irregular brownish-black markings towards the tips of the feathers. 

 The lower parts are also pale grey, but much lighter than the upper. The 

 bill and feet are black, but the tip of the former has not yet assumed a yellow 

 tint. 



THE SOOTY TERN. 



-V Sterna fuliginosa, Lath. 



PLATE CCCCXXXII.— Male. 



Early in the afternoon of the 9th of May, 1832, I was standing on the 

 deck of the United States revenue-cutter Marion. The weather was very 

 beautiful, although hot, and a favourable breeze wafted us onwards in 

 our course. Captain Robert Day, who stood near me, on looking toward 

 the south-west, ordered some person to be sent to the top to watch the 

 appearance of land. A young lad was instantly seen ascending the rigging, 

 and not many minutes after he had attained his post, we heard from him the 

 cry of "land." It was the low keys of the Tortugas, toward which we had 

 been steering. No change was made in the course of the "Lady of the 

 Green Mantle," who glided along as if aware of the knowledge possessed by 

 her commander. Now the light-house lantern appeared, like a bright gem 

 glittering in the rays of the sun. Presently the masts and flags of several 

 wreckers shewed us that they were anchored in the small but safe harbour. 

 We sailed on, and our active pilot, who was also the first lieutenant of the 

 Marion, pointed out to me a small island which he said was at this season the 

 resort of thousands of birds, which he described by calling them "Black and 

 White Sea Swallows," and again another islet, equally well stocked with 

 another kind of Sea Swallow, which he added were called Noddies, because 

 they frequently alighted on the yards of vessels at night, and slept there. 



