BRITISH BIRDS, 
197 
OF THE TERNS, OR SEA SWALLOWS. 
Birds of this genus have ftraight, flender-fliaped, 
and pointed bills : noftrils linear : tongue flender 
and (harp : their legs are fmall, the webs deeply 
fcallopped from the toe ends to the middle, and the 
back toe fmall : the wings are very long, and the 
tail forked. * Thefe birds continue long on the 
wing, and, in their quick and circling evolutions, 
they rife and fink in the air, or glide along near 
the furface of the waters, fometimes fnapping at the 
infers in their way, or, fuddenly checking their 
courfe, darting down upon their finny prey, which 
they fwallow in the afcent, v/ithout delaying their 
progrefs. Their common refidence is the fea-fhores, 
or the mouths of large rivers, whofe courfes, how- 
ever, they fometimes traverfe nearly to their rife. 
They alfo vifit loughs and lakes very diftant from 
the ocean, and likewife make excurfions a long- 
way out to fea. They congregate in large flocks, 
but particularly in the breeding feafon, wken they 
are more than ufually reftlefs, wheeling and re- 
doubling their varied flight high in the air, and ut- 
tering their loud fcreams in clamorous confufion. 
Some of the fpecies are defcribed as breeding on 
* In the young of fome fpecies, the tails are nearly even at 
the ends. 
