546 LESSER TERN. Class IL 



body, white : the upper part, and the coverts of 

 the wings, a fine pale grey : the tail confifts of 

 twelve feathers ; the exterior edges of the three 

 outmoft are grey, the reft white : the exterior, on 

 each fide, is two inches longer than the others : 

 in flying, the bird frequently clofes them together, 

 fo as to make them appear one (lender feather. 



Thefe birds frequent the fea fhores, banks of 

 lakes and rivers : they feed on final! fifh, and water 

 infects \ hovering over the water, and fuddenly dart- 

 ing into it, catch up their prey. They breed 

 among fmall tufts of rufhes -, and lay three cr four 

 eggs, of a dull olive color, fpotted with black. 

 All thQ birds of this genus are very clamorous. 



255. Lesser. Larus piicator (Fifcherlin , La petite Hirondelle de mer. 



Fel.) Gefner av. 587. fig. Brijfon av. VI. 206. tab. 



58S. 19. fig. 2. 



Aldr. av. III. 3^. Larus Minuta. Lin. Jyft. 22S. 



Lefler Sea Swallow. Wil. orn. Hstting Taerne. Brunnichj 



353- 1 S 2 - 



Raii fjH. av. 131. Br. Zo:l. 144. 



Descrip. rr^HE weight is onlv two ounces five grains: 

 •*" the length eight inches and a half ; the breadth 

 nineteen and a half. The bill is yellow, tipt with 

 black : the forehead and cheeks white : from the 

 eyes to the bill is a black line: the top of the head, 

 and hind part black : the bread, and under fide of 

 the body cloathed with feathers fo clofely kt toge- 

 ther^ 



