2 
WHITE-WINGED DLACK TERN. 
“May 28, 1873. Wind north and cold. Having heard that several ‘Dars’*, whose description answered 
exactly for this species, had been noticed for the last four or five days frequenting Hickling Broad, I rowed 
round the water in search of the strangers. The keeper who gave me the information stated that in his fifty 
years experience of the Broad he had seen nothing like them before ; as the man was a good authority on all 
the native fowl, waders, and sea-birds, it is probable that their visits to this locality were unfrequent. I had 
not pulled above a quarter of a mile when a fine old male was detected hovering round the edges of the hills, 
and a few hours later a party of six or seven were met with flying over the Broad. Thousands of Sand-Martins 
skimmed hither and thither across the surface of the water, darting at the insects, and the Terns, immediately 
joining a large suarm, continued in their company for some time. In no single instance did I see them dash 
into the water as observed on Breydon, and in all probability food is only procured in this manner on salt water; 
during the whole of tlie afternoon they remained hawking for insects in precisely the same manner as the 
Martins. After watching their actions for some hours, several of their number often approaching and 
svAceping round the punt within the distance of three or four yards, I procured without difficulty as many 
specimens as were needed. On the following day several small parties came in view beating to windward over 
the Broad , a fresh breeze from the north-east was blowing, and after a few turns they worked away in the face 
of the gale , the wind being too strong for the insects to show themselves, the Martins were absent during' the 
uhole of the day. Three or four of the birds seerr towards evening were more strongly marked on the breast 
uith white than those previously observed; these doubtless exhibited some of the more immature stao*es of 
plumage.” 
* Terns are generally known among the gunners and marshmen in the east of Norfolk as “ Dars ” or “ Daws,” some being termed blue and 
others black, according to the tints of their colouring. 
