164 



SOOTY TERN, 



a yellowish-white : the tip of the head, the occiput, 

 and the nape are brown, striped with blackish : before 

 and behind the eyes is a black spot : the back and 

 wings are yellowish-brown ; the shafts of the quills 

 and margins of all the other feathers are blackish- 

 ash : the tail and wing-feathers are tipped with yel- 

 lowish-white. After moulting the head becomes 

 clothed with black feathers ; the under parts become 

 of a clear bluish-ash ; but the tail-feathers retain their 

 dull tint. 



Like the Common Tern this species is frequent on 

 the sea-coasts of most countries of Europe, and is 

 very abundant on those of Britain, Holland, and 

 France : its manners greatly resemble those of that 

 bird : it lays its eggs on the strand of the seas or on 

 the naked rocks ; they are two or three in number, of 

 a clear greenish hue, marked with large spots of brown 

 and ash-colour. The young are hatched in June, 

 and are able to fly the first or second week in July. 



The food of this species consists chiefly of small 

 insects and marine vermes ; also the fry of fish, and 

 other floating objects. 



SOOTY TERN* 

 (Sterna fuliginosa.) 



St. fuliginoso atra, f route corporeque suhiiis albisj striga per 

 oculos nigris. 



Dark-sooty Tern with the forehead and body beneath white, and 

 a black stripe passing through the eyes. 



