242 
MARSH TERN. 
above the reach of shot, and move off at once to some considerable distance ; 
but when the female dropped, if on the water, the male would plunge head- 
long toward her, and alighting by her side, would do all in his power to aid 
her in swimming or flying off. If she fell on the ground, he would alight 
there, and exhibit the same marks of anxious care, thus affording to the 
gunner the best possible opportunity of destroying him. 
The Marsh Tern swims buoyantly but not swiftly, and when wounded 
does not attempt to dive, but when taken in the hand bites rather severely, 
though without uttering cries, in which latter respect it differs from the 
other species. Whilst travelling or inspecting the pools of the marshes, or 
the bayous intersecting them, it passes at a considerable height with quickly 
repeated movements of the wings, and when looking for food, it darts 
through the air and slides toward the waters, as if about to dive for fish. I 
have observed them coming over large mud-flats and marshes to bayous, 
apparently for the latter purpose ; but I believe that these birds never im- 
merse themselves in the water, as other Terns are wont to do ; nor do I 
think that they procure fish, as on examining a number of individuals near 
the mouths of the Mississippi, in Texas, and at Great Egg Harbour, I never 
found any other food in their stomachs than insects of various kinds, includ- 
ing coleoptera, which were unknown to me. In many instances, when near 
the places first mentioned, my friend Edward Harris and myself saw 
them catching insects on wing over a small pond of almost putrid water, 
the surface of which was entirely covered with a thick green layer of water 
plants. The same manner of procuring food was observed over the dry 
land at Barataria, where they seized insects by diving as it were close to the 
ground and again rising to a considerable height. Their plunges were per- 
formed with great velocity, generally by the males and females alternately. 
In two or three instances, I have seen some of these birds plunge towards 
the water at sea, but always close on the shore, and have supposed that when 
insects are scarce on the land, particularly during their migration southward, 
they may be forced to feed upon fish ; but this is merely a supposition, in 
support of which I have no fact to offer. I look upon what has been said 
as to their feeding along the sea-shores “ almost exclusively on strand birds 
and their eggs,” as ridiculous and absurd. 
On the 24th of May I observed this species mastered and driven from its 
feeding grounds by the King-birds Muscicapa, Tyrannus, and the Martins, 
Hirundo purpurea. I am inclined to believe that these birds migrate in 
the same manner as many of our terrestrial species, that is, the females first, 
by themselves, and afterwards the males. 
The Marsh Tern deposits its three eggs on the dried rushes found in the 
salt marshes at a short distance from the water, and carefully placed beyond 
