ClafsII. LESSER TERN. 429 



darting into it, catch up their prey. They breed 

 among fmall tufts of rufhes ; and lay three or four 

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

 the birds of this genus are very clamorous. 



II. The LESSER TERN. 



Larus pifcator (Fifcherlln, Fel.) La petite Hirondelle de mer, 



Gefner av. 537. fig. 588. Briffon a<v. vi. 206. tab. 19. 



Aldr. aw. iii. 35. fig. 2. -..., iX 



Lefler Sea Swallow. Wil. orn. La-HK Minuta. Lin.Jyft. 228. 



353. Halting Tserne. Brunnkb. 152. 



Rati Jjn. a<u. 131. Br. Zoo/. 144. 



'T^HE manners, haunts, and food of this are the 

 ■*- fame with the former : but the fpecies are more 

 numerous. The weight is only two ounces five Defer, 

 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 breaft, and under 

 fide of the body, cloathed with feathers fo clofely fet 

 together, and of fuch an exquifite rich glofs, and fo 

 fine a white, that no fatin can be compared to it : the 

 back and wings of a pale grey : the tail fhort, lefs 

 forked than that of the former, and white : the legs 

 yellow : the irides dusky. Thefe two fpecies are very 

 delicate, and feem unable to bear the inclemency of 

 the weather, on our fnores * durinp- winter: for we 

 obferve they quit their breeding places at the ap- 

 proach of it ; nor return till fpring. 



* North Wales. 



E e 2 JII. The 



