480 LARIDiE. 
NA TA TORES. LA RIDsft. 
COMMON TERN, 
SEA SWALLOW. 
Sterna hirundo. 
PLATE CXXXIII. FIG. III. 
With this species the arctic tern had long been con¬ 
founded, until their true distinctions were pointed out. 
The sterna arctica is the common tern of the north of 
England; whilst the Sterna Hirundo , only a few pairs 
of which breed upon the Coquet and Fern Islands, 
is comparatively rare. I have received the eggs from 
Mr. Heysham, with the following communication:—“The 
Common Tern breeds near the western extremity of 
Rockcliff Salt-marsh, at no great distance from the junc¬ 
tion of the rivers Eden and Esk, in Solway Frith. This 
is the only locality they resort to in this district, to my 
knowledge, with the exception of a few pairs, which 
breed, I believe, almost every year, on Solway Moss. 
In some seasons they commence to lay their eggs about 
the latter end of May, and fresh ones may be obtained 
until the beginning of July/' Mr. J. Hancock found 
the eggs of this species plentiful on Foulney Island, 
on the coast of Lancashire. The Common Tern breeds 
at many places round the southern coast of England ; 
it makes little or no nest, laying its eggs, which are 
three in number, upon the bare grass or sand. 
