AND WHAT LIVED IN THEM. - 389 





























quisitely moulded shapes, and by a crescent of pure white 
on the forehead, sharply defined in the jetty black of the 
rest of the crown. They are delicate pearly-blue above, 
with snowy-white under-plumage, that has an indescribably | 
soft and silky lustre ; the long-pointed outer primaries, that 
cleave the air so deftly, are black, silvered with a hoary 
gloss of exceeding delicacy ; the bill is bright yellow, tipped 
with black; the feet are of the same color, and are likewise 
tipped with the black claws. The little bird of our country 
answering to this description, has a variety of names in and 
out of the books. In many places it is called “Striker,” 
from the way it has—after hovering in the air, its slender 
bill pointed straight downward, its clear eyes intently sur- 
veying the water below, and at length fixing upon some 
. unlucky shrimp or minnow—of dashing impetuously down 
to secure its prey beneath the water; and just possibly, its 
scientific name, Sterna, as well as the English derivative, 
Stern, or Tern, may be traced to a classic root (seen in 
sterno, “to strew or scatter," and also “to throw down”) and 
have its origin in this same habit. A more apt and elegant 
designation is that of "Sea-swallow," by which this and other 
Species are universally known. They are all, indeed, swal- 
lows of the sea, replacing over the waters those familiar birds 
of the land, and having many features in common. Popu- 
lar language has, as usual, caught the idea of these striking 
points of resemblance, and caged it in an expressive word.. 
Even the written history of this bird's names is not devoid of | 
interest ; for a study of the various words unfolds a story of 
human thought. Thus our forefathers in ornithology called 
the bird the Least Tern (Sterna minuta), because they did 
not know it was different from the European species of that 
hame ; but it is, nevertheless, for the pearl-blue extends over 
the tail instead of being confined to the back and wings, and 
the size of the bill, and of the white crescent, are not the 
Same in the two species. Nuttall gives it as the Silvery 
Tem (S. argentea); a pretty name, and one very suitable, _ 

