“ Temniinck states that the White-winged Marsh-Tern frequents the bays and inlets of the Mediterranean 
and is very common about Gibraltar ; it also visits the lakes, rivers, and marshes of the eountries in the 
vicinity of the Alps, is very common about the lakes of Lucerne, Lugano, Como, Iseo, and Garda, and is 
occasionally seen on the Lake of Geneva. Schinz includes it in the ‘ Birds of Switzerland but it does not 
seem to occur in the northern part of France or in Holland : yet Nilsson gives a figure of it in his ‘ Fauna 
of Scandinavia Savi includes it in his ‘ Birds of Italy ; ’ and Malherbe says it appears in Sicily in spring, 
and is seen from Lake Lenteni to the environs of Catania and Syracuse, but is more rare in the northern 
parts of the island. Mr. H. M. Drummond observed a pair on the river between the lakes at Biserta, about 
forty miles to the eastward of Tunis. Temminck also mentions that it is common in spring in Dalmatia, 
but does not breed there, and had departed in July.” — Yarrell, SiippL Brit, Birds, p. 52. 
If I understand Schrenk rightly this bird frequents the Black Sea, the waters of the Ural districts, and 
Amoor Laud ; if this really be the case it is a fact of some interest, since it has not been found in India, nor, 
really, I believe, in China. The sexes are alike in plumage, but I am unacquainted with the young, unless 
some skins of Marsh Terns, which I have lately received from Cape York, Australia, which I am unable to 
verify, should prove to be immature examples of this species. 
Bailly states that the HydrocheUdon leucoptera, like the H. nigra, lives upon Libellulce, other aquatic 
insects, worms, and small fishes, which it captures in a similar manner. It breeds in the marshes in the 
southern part of Savoy, and lays four or five eggs, sometimes of a brownish-olive, at others of reddish-grey, 
spotted irregularly with black and brownish-black over the middle, and particularly towards the larger end ; 
“ leur grand diametre a 3 cent. 6'8 mill, sur 2 cent. 7'9 mill, de petit diametre.” 
In the summer the whole of the head, the upper and the under surface is deep black, slightly tinged with 
green in freshly shot specimens ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail ])ure white ; centre of the wings grey, 
fading into pure white on the shoulder and that portion of the feathers nearest the body ; the first, second, 
third, and sometimes as many as the first five priniaries greyish black, with white shafts, and a margin of 
white along their inner web, the remainder light grey ; secondaries, tertiaries, and seapularies slate grey ; 
irides blackish-brown ; bill, legs, and feet coral-red ; nails black. 
The figure represents two birds in the plumage of summer, of the natural size. 
