154 



ROSEATE TERN. 



tion of the lower part of the orbit, jet black : the 

 black feathers on the hind head thinly diffused, and 

 flowing over the white down on the back of the neck : 

 the feathers on the sides of the head, extending in a 

 narrow line along the upper mandible to the nostrils, 

 and on the sides of the neck white : the whole under 

 parts are white, but the fore part of the neck, breast, 

 and belly, to beyond the vent, are tinged with a most 

 delicate rosy-black : the back scapulars and coverts 

 of the wings are pale cinereous-grey ; the quill-fea- 

 thers are narrow, the first has the exterior web black, 

 with a hoary tinge ; the others are hoary on that part ; 

 and part of the inner web next to the shafts of the 

 first three or four is hoary black, becoming by degrees 

 paler in the succeeding feathers^ all deeply margined 

 with white quite to the tip, and the shafts of all are 

 white : length of the wing from the elbow to the ex- 

 tremity of the first quill-feather nine inches and a 

 quarter : the tail is greatly forked ; the outer feather 

 is seven inches long, extending two inches beyond 

 the wings when closed, extremely slender, and the 

 end for an inch or more slightly ciliated ; the middle 

 feathers are scarcely three inches in length ; they are 

 all white, destitute of any markings : the legs and 

 feet are bright orange ; the claws black/' 



This elegant species was first discovered by Dr. 

 M'Dougall of Glasgow, who shot several specimens 

 in the West Highlands of Scotland, in July, 181^, 

 and communicated them to Montagu : since that pe- 

 riod it has been observed on the coasts of Picardy, in 

 France, by M, Laillotte ; and also in Norway, and 

 other parts of Europe. It feeds upon fish. 



