TERN. 121 



white; back and wings pale grey ; quills the same, but deeper, and 

 much longer than the tail ; legs yellow; claws black. Male and 

 female alike. 



This has much the same manners and haunts as the Common 

 Tern, but less numerous. It breeds on many of our shores, lays 

 two or three eggs, about one inch and a half in length, dashed all 

 over with dusky, inclining to red, and weighing each from two 

 drachms, forty grains, to three drachms, generally placed in a 

 hollow on the beach, without any nest.* 



On the Continent it is found in the southern parts of Russia, 

 about the Black and Caspian Seas; and in Siberia, about the River 

 Irtisch ; feeds principally on small fish, and in former times used to 

 be caught by tying a fish to a light piece of wood, and letting it float 

 on the water, surrounded with birdlime; the bird on taking the prey, 

 was entangled, and easily secured. We find this bird on the shores 

 of France, Italy, Germany, and Spain ; and is sometimes also in the 

 latter, the greater part of the winter. It is seen about New York in 

 the summer, and is said to change place in America according to the 

 season, as it does in Europe. 



One similar, in General Hardwicke's drawings, differs in having 

 the bill shorter, and dull yellow; the tail but little forked ; the legs 

 brownish orange, more dusky about the joint. — Met with at Cawn- 

 pore; is found also at Java, and called there Toyang. 



30.— BLACK TERN. 



Sterna fissipes, hid. Orn. ii. 810. Lin. i. 228. Gm. Lin. i. 610. Brun. No. 153. 



Sclicrf. el. t. 63. Fn. Helv. 

 Larns merul'mus, Scop. i. No. 10S ? 

 Sterna nigra, Bris. vi. 211. Id. 8vo. ii. 417. Sepp, Vog. t. p. 131. Tern. Man. Ed. 



2d. p. 749. Frankl. Narr. App. p. 694. 

 Sterna cinerea atricapilla, Gerin. v. t. 543. 

 Larns niger Gesneri, Rail, 131. A. 3. Will. 269. § 111. Klein, Av. 138. 



* One of the names given to it is Richel-Bird. — Orn. Diet. 



VOL. X. R 



