242 
GREAT TERN. 
plunges, and that from a considerable height, too, headlong on 
their prey, which they never seize but with their bills. In the 
evening, I have remarked, as they retired from the upper parts 
of the bays, rivers and inlets, to the beach for repose, about 
breeding time, that each generally carried a small fish in his bill. 
As soon as the young are able to fly, they lead them to the 
sandy shoals and ripples where fish are abundant; and while they 
occasionally feed them, teach them by their example to provide 
for themselves. They sometimes penetrate a great way inland, 
along the courses of rivers; and are occasionally seen about all 
our numerous ponds, lakes and rivers, most usually near the 
close of the summer. 
This species inhabits Europe as high as Spitzbergen; is found 
on the arctic coasts of Siberia and Kamtschatka, and also on our 
own continent as far north as Hudson’s Bay. In New England 
it is called by some the Mackerel Gull, It retires from all these 
places, at the approach of winter, to more congenial seas and 
seasons. 
The Great Tern is fifteen inches long, and thirty inches in 
extent; bill reddish yellow, sometimes brilliant crimson, slightly 
angular on the lower mandible, and tipt with black; whole up- 
per part of the head black, extending to a point half way down 
the neck behind, and including the eyes; sides of the neck, and 
whole lower parts, pure white; wing quills hoary, as if bleached 
by the weather, long and pointed; whole back, scapulars and 
Aving, bluish white, or very pale lead colour; rump and tail-co- 
verts white; tail long and greatly forked, the exterior feathers 
being three inches longer than the adjoining ones, the rest short- 
ening gradually for an inch and a half to the middle ones, the 
whole of a pale lead colour; the outer edge of the exterior ones 
black; legs and webbed feet brilliant red lead; membranes of 
the feet deeply scalloped; claws large and black, middle one the 
largest. The primary quill feathers are generally dark on their 
inner edges. The female differs in having the two exterior 
feathers of the tail considerably shorter. The voice of these 
birds is like the harsh jarring of an opening door, on its rusted 
