hover, at once distinguishes it from the Sandwich Tern, 

 to which in distribution of colour and in size it bears 

 a strong resemblance. In Spain the Gull-billed Tern 

 breeds not only on the sandy sea-shores, but also in very 

 great numbers upon the islets left in the "marisma" 

 of the Guadalquivir by the subsidence of the winter 

 floods. The cry of this Tern differs considerably from 

 that of any other with which I am acquainted, and is a 

 sort of laughing chatter varied by an occasional screech. 

 This bird is said to breed on the coast and islands 

 belonging to Denmark, and I know of its doing so 

 on the lagoons of Mesolonghi. I am not aware of its 

 nesting in any European locality besides those already 

 mentioned, but its range extends to China, Ceylon, and 

 Australia, and it is not uncommon in certain districts of 

 North and South America. 



