428 GREATER TERN. Clafs II. 



■ Genus XV. TERNS*. 

 I. The GREATER TERN. 



Sterna (Stirn, Spyrer,Schnirring) The Kirmevv. Marten's Spitz- 



Gefner av. 586. berg. 92. 



Aldr. ay. iii. 35. IJIandis Kria, Norvegis Tenne, 

 The Sea Swallow. Wil. orn. 352. Tende, Tendeiobe, Sand- 

 Raiifyn.a<v 131. Tolle, Sand-Tserrne. Danis 



Sterna major, la grande Hiron- Tasrne. Bornbolmis Kirre, 



delle de mer. BriJJon av. vi. Krop-Kirre. Brunm.b. 151. 



203. tab. 19 -fig. 1. Grauer fifcher. A>az». 345. 



Sterna hirundo. Lin.fyft. 227. 2?r. Zw/. 144. 

 Tarna. Faun. Suec.fp. ijg. 



Defer. npHIS kind weighs four ounces, one-quarter : the 

 **- length is fourteen inches •, the breadth thirty : 

 the bill and feet are of a fine crimfon ; the former 

 tipt with black, flrait, flender, and fharp pointed : 

 the crown, and hind part of the head, black : the 

 throat, and whole under fide of the 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 flender 

 feather. Thefe birds frequent the fea mores, banks 

 of lakes and rivers : they feed on fmall fim, and 

 water infects ; hovering over the water, and fuddenly 



* A name thefe buds are known by in the North of England ; 

 and which we fubftitute inflead of the old compound one of Sea 

 /;w; which was given them on. account of their foiked 

 tails. 



darting 



