276 
THE BLACK TERN. 
portion of it has been drained. It is now known by the name of Hope- 
Distillery Pond, and lies a few hundred yards from the Ohio, buflis nearly 
surrounded with buildings of various kinds. Alexander W ilson, to whom 
I showed the old nests of the Black Tern at this place, did not seem to be 
acquainted with the bird, and thought that they were those of some species 
of Rail. 
The nest is usually placed on the top of a broken tussock of the rankest 
grasses, of which it is itself composed, it being of a flattish form, and about 
two inches thick. It is enlarged or renewed every year, some nests being 
found to be from four to six inches in height. In some instances the water 
surrounds the foot of the tussock on which it is placed. They begin to lay 
on the first days of June. The eggs, of which the full number is four 
greatly resemble in colour those of the Sandwich and Arctic Terns. When 
disturbed at this season, these birds are as noisy as any of the tribe ; but 
they remain close over the place, and go to the river only at intervals to 
procure food. Both sexes incubate by turns, and the eggs are kept con 
stantlv covered. They average in length one inch and three-eighths, by one 
inch across, and are nearly of an elliptical form, being but slightly pointed 
at one end ; their ground-colour is greenish-buff, spotted and dashed with 
reddish umber and black, more abundantly toward the middle. I took the 
trouble of counting the number of nests around the pond, and found it more 
than seventy. About the middle of August the young fly well, and are able 
to seek food for themselves. I have seen the parent birds feed them on 
wing in the manner of swallows. 
They alight less frequently on the water than the larger species. On 
shore '••they walk like Swallows. During autumn they hunt for food over 
the wet prairies, passing low, and picking up the insects as they proceed 
without alighting. At this season, both old and young have become more 
silent. They are at all times less shy than most others of the tribe. Their 
principal food consists of aquatic insects 'and small fry, and their flesh is 
tolerably good. 
Since I wrote the above notice, I have been informed by my youngest son 
that this species was still seen about the Falls of the Ohio, in considerable 
numbers, a few years ago ; but that, although he observed them there in 
spring, summer, and early autumn, he did not discover their breeding 
grounds, which are perhaps now farther inland than formerly. 
Sterna nigra, Bonap. Syn., p. 355. 
Sterna nigra, Black Tern , Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 415. 
Black Tern or Stern, Nutt. Man. rol. ii. p. 282. 
Black Tern, Sterna nigra , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 535 ; vol. v. p. 642. 
