BIRDS OF THE LAKES, STREAMS, AND SWAMPS 
229 
Nest . — Composed of rushes or aquatic plants, forming a flat structure, 
generally floating upon the surface of the water. Sometimes placed 
among rushes growing in deep water, some distance from the shore. 
Eggs. — Two or three, greenish-buff, blotched all over with blackish- 
brown and some underlying markings of grey. Breeding-season : October 
November, and December. 
28. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Gmelin 
Ge-lo-chel-i'-don — gelo, derivation unknown; Gk, chelidon, swallow: 
nilotica — from the River Nile. 
Distribution. — Australia (except the south-western portion), and 
Tasmania ; also occurs along the Atlantic coast of America, and in Europe, 
Africa, southern Asia, Malaysia, and New Guinea. 
Notes. — Also called Long-legged Tern. Usually in flocks, frequenting 
both inland lakes and swamps and the seashore. It is generally seen 
skimming in hawk-like fashion over the swamps, lakes, or surrounding 
plains, or above salt-water marshes and estuaries. Food : live fish, insects, 
and small reptiles. 
Nest. — A depression in the soil, surrounded by any debris near at 
hand, collected and added to as incubation proceeds. Breeds in colonies. 
Eggs. — Two to four, buffy-white or whitish-brown, sparingly covered 
with light umber markings, over which are splashes and spots of 
purplish-red and purplish-grey, and others of a lighter tint, appearing as 
if beneath the surface of the shell. Breeding-season: October to March 
(eastern Australia) ; May (north-western Australia). 
29. Roseate Tern Sterna dougalli Montagu 
Stern -a — N.L., sterna , gull: dougalli — Dr MacDougall of Glasgow, 1808. 
Distribution. — Central, eastern, and northern America, and Europe, 
Africa, Australia (except the south-eastern portion), and New Caledonia. 
Notes. — Also called Graceful Tern. Usually in flocks, frequenting 
chiefly the islands off the coast, salt marshes, and often lakes and swamps 
of inland districts. It is an extremely graceful bird in flight, and its 
beautiful rose-tinted under-parts, seen only in certain lights, distinguish it 
from the other species of Terns. Food : chiefly live fish. 
Nest. — A slight depression in the sand or on a ridge of dead coral ; 
sometimes partly lined with fine pieces of coral, or shells. Breeds in 
colonies on islands off the coast, chiefly in tropical latitudes. 
Eggs. — Usually two, varying from light yellowish to a faint greyish- 
stone, uniformly covered with dots, spots, and a few small irregular-shaped 
blotches of brownish or inky-black with underlying markings of faint 
bluish or inky-grey. Some eggs are marked by a few large conspicuous 
blotches with smaller dots of the same hues on the larger end. Breeding- 
season: September to December or January. 
