122 TERN. 



Lams niger fidipes alis longioribus Aldr. Raii, 131. 4. Will. 270. §. V. t. C8. Robert, 



Ic. pi. 6. 

 Larus minor fidipes nostras, Rati, 132. A. 6. Will. 269. § IV. 

 Die schwarze Meerschwalbe, Bechst. Deuts. ii. 833. Nalurf. xii. 144. 

 Hirondelle de Mer noir, ou L'Epouventail, Buf. viii. 341. PL enl. 333. 

 Black Tern, Gen. Syn. vi. 366. Id. Sup. 267. Br. Zool. ii. No. 256. /rf./o/. 145. 



pi. L.* 1. f. 1. Id. 1812. ii. 199. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 450. Bewick, ii. p. 203. 



Lewin, vi. pi. 206. pi. xl. f. 1.— the egg. Walcot, i. pi. 121. Donov. pi. 96. 



Pu/t. Dors. p. 18. Orn. Diet. Sf Supp. 



THIS is larger than the Minute Species ; length ten inches; the 

 breadth twenty-four ; and weighs two ounces and a half. Bill black ; 

 head, neck, and body sooty black ; back, wings, and tail deep ash- 

 colour, the last but little forked ; vent and under tail coverts white ; 

 the outer feathers of the tail edged with white ; legs dusky red : the 

 male has a spot of white under the chin. 



This is found far more inland than the other British Species, often 

 in several of our fens, and now and then about reedy places, and 

 neglected fish ponds; common about the fenny parts of Lincolnshire 

 and Cambridgeshire ; is called about Cambridge the Car-Swallow. 

 First appears about Romney Marsh, in Kent, the end of April, a 

 few days after the other Terns, and does not associate with them, 

 breeding in the sedgy places, among the reeds, &c. : it lays three or 

 four eggs, of a light olive brown, blotched and spotted with brown, 

 or black, of the size of those of the Magpie. Is not uncommon on 

 the Continent, and found pretty far north ; very numerous in Siberia, 

 and about the salt lakes of the deserts of Tartary : in Europe, as far 

 as Iceland to the north, changing its abode as winter approaches, at 

 which time it is seen, with others of the Genus, about the Bay of 

 Gibraltar, remaining there through the cold season ; the food consists 

 not only of fish, but insects, as the remains of both have been found 

 in their stomachs. Is supposed to inhabit Hudson's Bay, and other 

 parts of America, and is probably the same which was seen in vast 

 flocks, beyond lat. 41. north, long. 47. W. by Mr. Kalm, somewhat 

 south of the Banks of Newfoundland.- 5 



* Kalm says, it is rather darker than the common Sea Swallow; the flocks consisted of 

 some hundreds, and sometimes settled on the ship. — Trav. i. p. 23. 



