SANDWICH TERN. 



449 



Provincial. — Killileepie. Sand Lavrock. Sand Lark. 



The weight of this species is about two ounces ; length seven inches 

 and a half ; irides dusky ; the bill is brown, an inch and a quarter long-, 

 and slender ; the head, back of the neck, and whole upper parts, as well 

 as the sides of the breast, light brown, of a glossy greenish hue on the 

 back and scapulars, streaked down the shaft of each feather with a 

 narrow dusky line ; the wing coverts with minute undulated lines ; the 

 cheeks and throat of a light colour ; over the eye a whitish streak ; 

 breast and belly white ; thighs brown ; quills brown, with a white spot 

 on their inner webs, except the first ; the four middle feathers of the 

 tail like the back, with fine transverse lines of dusky, outer one 

 white, with brown bars, the intermediate ones either tipped or spotted 

 white on their margins ; legs brown. The Sandpiper visits this 

 country in the spring, and chiefly frequents our lakes and rivers, on 

 the borders of which it makes a nest, composed of moss and dry leaves, 

 which is most commonly placed in a hole in the bank. It lays four or 

 five eggs of a dirty white, marked with dusky and cinereous spots, most 

 at the larger end. When disturbed, it makes a piping noise as it flies ; 

 and when running on the ground, the tail is constantly in motion. 

 Great numbers breed on the banks of the lakes in Scotland. In the 

 autumn these birds are very much infested with a bird fly (Hippobosca 

 Hirundinis.) It is probable many of the Sandpipers are capable of 

 swimming, if by accident they wade out of their depth. Having shot 

 and winged one of this species as it was flying across a piece of water, 

 it fell, and floated towards the verge ; and, as we reached to take it up, 

 the bird instantly dived, and we never saw it rise again to the surface ; 

 possibly it got entangled in the weeds and was drowned. Other species 

 we have known which, when wounded and having fallen into the water, 

 make way on the surface with their legs, and do not drown like land birds 

 in general. It is known in some places by the name of summer snipe. 

 It is found in most parts of Europe, even as far north as Siberia. 



SANDWICH TERN {Sterna Boysii, Latham.) 



Sterna Boysii, Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 806. 10. — Sterna cantiaca, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 



606. 15 Temrn. Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 735 Sterna Africana, Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 



p. 805. 5— Sterna striata, lb. 2. 807. 11.— Sandwich Tern, lb. Syn. 6. p. 356. 

 — Mont. Orn. Diet, and Supp. — Ftem. Br. Anim. p. 142. — Bewick's Br. Birds, 

 2. p. 204.— Boys' Sandwich, p. 851. 



This is the largest of the British species. Length about eighteen 

 inches ; the bill is black ; irides dusky ; the upper part of the head and 

 nape, taking in the eyes, is black ; the rest of the head, neck, under 

 parts of the body, and tail, white ; back, scapulars, and wings, cinereous 

 grey ; the first five or six prime quills are hoary black on the outer 



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