143 



MARSH TERN. 

 STERNA ARANEA. 

 [Plate LXXII.— Fig. 6.] 



Pe Alt's JWitsewiw, JVo. 3521. 



THIS new species I first met with on the shores of Cape May, 

 particularly over the salt marshes^ and darting down after a kind 

 of large black spider, plenty in such places* This spider can tra- 

 vel under water as well as above, and, during summer at least, 

 seems to constitute the principal food of the present Tern* In se- 

 veral which I opened, the stomach was crammed with a mass of 

 these spiders alone ; these they frequently pick up from the pools 

 as well as from the grass, dashing down on them in the manner 

 of their tribe. Their voice is sharper and stronger than that of 

 the Common Tern ; the bill is differently formed, being shorter, 

 more rounded above, and thicker ; the tail is also much shorter, 

 and less forked. They do not associate with the others; but keep 

 in small parties by themselves. 



The Marsh Tern is fourteen inches in length, and thirty four 

 in extent ; bill thick, much rounded above, and of a glossy black- 

 ness ; whole upper part of the head and hind neck black ; whole 

 upper part of the body hoary white ; shafts of the quill and tail 

 feathers pure white ; line from the nostril under the eye, and whole 

 lower parts pure white ; tail forked, the outer feathers about an 

 inch and three quarters longer than the middle ones ; the wings 

 extend upwards of two inches beyond the tail; legs and feet black, 

 hind toe small, straight, and pointed. 



The female, as to plumage, differs in nothing from the male. 

 The yearling birds, several of which I met with, have the plumage 



