THE GREATER-TERN. 343 



The Noddy, too, sought, midst the sea-birds, delight; 

 The Larids in air look'd exultant and bright. 



found in Cayenne and Senegal. The Surinamensis, or Surinam- 

 Darter, is thirteen inches long; has the head crested; the 

 belly white ; is domesticated ; feeds on fishes and insects ; is 

 very active ; inhabits Surinam ; Dr. Latham has arranged this 

 last under his genus Fin-foot, which see. 



( s2 ) Order, Anseres, ( Linn.) Tern, the Common, the Black, 

 the Lesser; the Sandwich ; Noddy. 



The genus Sterna, (Linn.) or Tern, comprehends between 

 forty and fifty species, four of which are found in this country ; 

 they have a subulate, straight, pointed bill; wings very long, 

 tail mostly forked ; feet small, webbed ; they are clamorous 

 and gregarious, assembling in large flocks ; with us they are 

 migratory, leaving our shores regularly on the approach of 

 winter. The following are specimens : 



The Hirundo, Common, Greater-Tern, Sea-Swallow, or 

 Gull-Teazer, is fourteen inches long; the bill and legs red ; the 

 top of the head black; beneath the eyes, the neck, and all the 

 under parts, white ; back and wings of an ash-colour ; tail 

 forked and white, except the outer web of the exterior feathers, 

 which is black ; it has a slender but elegant form, most 

 beautiful plumage, and is the most active fisher of all the 

 aquatic tribe ; it is a noisy and restless bird, constantly on the 

 wing in search of insects or small fish ; but though web-footed, 

 is said never to swim or dive ; it is most commonly known by 

 the name of sea-swallow, its actions being similar to those of that 

 bird ; it is called gull-teazer on the south coast of Devonshire, 

 where it is frequently seen to pursue and persecute the lesser 

 gulls, till they disgorge their food, which it dexterously catches 

 before it reaches the water ; it comes to this country in the 

 spring ; laying on our flat sandy shores three or four eggs, it is 

 said in sand, the size of a pigeon's, olivaceous brown, spotted 



