202 On the Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species of Birds 



had been killed recently on the Thames, but it was too far gone for 

 preserving. 



Sterna Macrura. "The Arctic Tern.-" This Tern bears a strong 

 resemblance to the last-named, and is met with quite as frequently. 

 The surest way to distinguish it is by the short tarsus, while the 

 breast is also of a darker shade of grey, and the tail feathers longer 

 in proportion to the wing It occurs frequently at Christchurch, 

 there being a good number of them about this present year. It 

 does not generally wander so much inland as the Common Tern, 

 but in 1842 there seems to have been ah unusual irruption of them 

 both into "Wilts and the neighbouring counties, Yarrell mentioning 

 that " according to the Bristol Mirror the birds were assembled in 

 such vast numbers in the harbour and floating docks of that city, 

 that two or three hundred were killed with stones and other missiles, 

 whilst several were caught alive ; and so tame were they that many 

 were observed to pitch on the backs of passers-by." 



Sterna Dongalli. " The Roseate Tern/' This species, again, is 

 difficult to distinguish at all times from the Common and Arctic 

 Terns ; more especially so, as in the breeding season, some of the 

 Common Terns have quite a rosy tint upon the breast ; but it is 

 altogether of a slenderer and more elegant form than any of the 

 other Terns, and when on the wing in company with the other 

 species would be at once distinguished by its more attenuated form ; 

 " it is in fact," as Yarrell says, " among the circling crowd of Arctic 

 and Common Terns like the greyhound to the dog." They are by 

 no means common at Christchurch ; and, in fact, Hart could give 

 me no certain information about them, although, in all probability, 

 they are occasionally to be met with there. 



Sterna Minuta. " The Lesser Tern." This bird frequently occurs 

 southwards, and Hart has five or six local specimens in his museum. 

 I was once collecting specimens on the beach at Eastbourne, when 

 one of these little birds appeared amongst a number of the common 

 species. I had only a rusty single-barrelled gun, that I had borrowed 

 from an old fisherman for the occasion, and nothing that I could do 

 would induce the gun to go off at the proper moment ; it always 

 hung fire until I was just on the point of taking the gun down from 



