LESSER TERN. 
tidi 
157 
'’’ith were of a yellowish brown colour, blotched 
'lUn measured nearly an inch and three 
length. During my whole stay, these birds 
Of crowds around me, and often within a few yards 
*Wi ^ squeaking like so many young ])igs, which 
iV ** voice strikinfrlv resenihles. A hniYinnnn* K?r/1 
oice strikingly resembles. A hum'niing bird, 
uccidentally strayed to the place, appeared 
'Wt 
among this outrageous group, several of whom 
t), angrily at him ; but he shot like an arrow from 
L directing his flight straigjht towards the i 
Do doubt but the distressing cries of the terns had 
'tit little creature to the scene, having frequently 
t|) '’®®Sed his anxious curiosity on similar occasions in 
tt’oeds. 
*>64 
:"c lesser tern feeds on beetles, crickets, spiders, 
^ other insects, which it picks up from the marshes, 
l_jl'''cll as on small fish, on which it plunges at sea. 
1^1 ® the former, it also makes extensive incursions 
along the river courses, and has frequently been 
Slfj . - 
tile f together on the sand.s, as if resting after 
fatigues of flight to which it is exposed. 
"ftp ® lesser tern is extremely tame and unsusfMcious, 
. D piissing you on its flight, and within a few yards, 
ill } *'’oces the windings and indentations of the shore 
at ^^'"■ch of its favourite praivns and skippers. Indeed, 
^j^Dch times it appears either altogether heedless of 
*ion’ eagerness for food overcomes its ajiprehen- 
*i>at '■C'dI Id ancient authors, 
tnjj .ll'c fishermen uscil to float a cross of wood, in the 
''It] r "liich M as fastened a small fish for a bait, 
liie 1 • '®®'l tM’igs stuck to the four corners, on which 
Several hundred miles from the sea. It sometimes 
darting was entangled by the wings. But this 
1 1'ave been for more sport, or for its feathers, the 
li'ev* being scarcely worth the trouble, as 
Of generally lean, and the flesh savouring strongly 
lesser tern is met M’ith in the south of Russia, 
*bout the Black and Caspian Sea ; also in Siberia 
5 
