KICHEL BIRD. 
419 
sects, and is particularly fond of the common house-fly {Musca domes- 
tica, Linn.) ; and I have frequently seen them by the side of large 
dung-heaps, where those flies breed.* It makes its appearance with us 
in the latter end of April, or beginning’ of May. *Sweet says, in the 
beginning of March or April, and departs in September. It is said to 
be found in the fens of Lincolnshire, and the banks of the river Coin, 
in Buckinghamshire.* 
REED WREN. — A name for the Reed Warbler. 
REEVE. — A name for the female of the Ruif. 
RICHEL BIRD (^Sterna minuta, LiNNiEUS.) 
Sterna minuta, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 228. 4. — Wilson’s Am. Orn. 7. p. 80. — Flem. 
Br. Anim. p. 144. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 608. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 809. 19. — 
Temm. Alan. d’Orn. 2. p. 752 Sterna nninor, Briss. 6. p. 206. 2. t. 19. f. 2. — 
Ih. 8vo. 2. p. 416. — Sterna metopoleucos, Gmel. Syst. p. 608. sp. 23. — Earns 
piscator, Rail, Syn. p. 131. A. 2, — Will. p. 269. II. — La petite Hirondelle de 
mer, Buff. Ois. 8. p. 337. — Lesser Sea-Swallow, Alhin, 2. t. 90. — Will. (Angl.) 
p. 353. t. 68. — Lesser Tern, Br. Zool. 2. No. 255. t. 90. — Ib. fol. 144. t. L. 2. 
— Arct. Zool. 2. No. 449 Lath. Syn. 6. p. 364. 18. — Lewin’s Br. Birds, 6. t. 
205 Wale. Syn. 1. t. 121. — Don. Br. Birds, 4. t. 96. — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 
18 Beivick's Br. Birds, 2. t. p. 201. — Mont. Orn. Diet, and Supp. 
This is the smallest of the tribe, measuring about eight inches 
and a half in length ; weight about two ounces. Bill yellow, tijiped 
with black ; irides dusky ; the forehead is white ; the rest of the head 
above and the nape black ; from the bill to the eye a black streak ; the 
sides of the head beneath the eyes, the neck, and all the under parts, 
pure white ; the back, scapulars, and wings, pale grey, darkest on the 
quills ; tail white ; legs yellow. Great difference exists in this species 
between the nestling and adult plumage, which will shew the necessity 
of great caution in ascertaining the several species of this genus. 
The young are seldom capable of flying till the first or second week 
in July ; at which time the plumage of the upper part is more or less 
of a pale yellow-brown, intermixed with cinereous ; and on the back 
and scapulars each feather has an angular bar near the end ; on the 
back of the head the feathers are black tipped with grey ; the quill- 
feathers are of an elegant cinereous grey, white at the edges, and 
slightly tipped with yellowish-brown ; the tail is nearly even at the 
end, almost white, with a dash of cinereous ; in the middle of each 
feather a dusky spot on each v/eb, and the tips yellowish ; the whole 
under parts white, the bill dusky, tinged with yellow ; legs dull yellow. 
This elegant little bird has all the habits of the common tern, and 
breeds in the same place, but is not found in such plenty, although on 
the coast of Lincolnshire it appears to exceed the other species in num- 
ber. At Skegness, on that coast, we have found their eggs amongst 
the shingle ; they were mostly two, sometimes three, in number, placed 
in a small depression, without any nest, about the size of those of the 
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