228 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
it resents any interference with its eggs or young, and employs all manner 
of wiles to lure the intruder away, or, protesting loudly, will make bold 
swoops at an observer. Food : insects and their larvae, also seeds of 
grasses and other plants. 
Nest .—A shallow depression scratched in the ground. 
Eggs. —Four, light brown, covered with irregular-shaped spots and 
blotches of brown, blackish-brown, and some underlying markings of 
grey. Breeding-season: July to November. 
25. White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucoptera Temminck 
Chlid-on-i-as —Gk, chlidon = ornament: leuc-op'-tcr-a —Gk, leucos, white; 
Gk, p ter on, wing. 
Distribution .—Southern and central Europe, across central Asia to 
China, migrating southwards to Africa, India, Malaysia, to Australia; 
accidental to North America and New Zealand. 
Notes .—Also called Eastern White-winged Tern. This species visits 
northern Australia during the spring and summer months, where it 
frequents lakes and swamps. Very little has been recorded of its habits 
while in Australia. The coloured figure represents an adult in winter 
plumage; an adult in breeding plumage has the entire head, neck, upper 
back, breast, flanks, and abdomen glossy black; lower back and rump 
greyish-black; upper tail-coverts and tail, pure white. 
Nest .—Composed of vegetable debris piled to form a fairly large 
structure, and placed on water-surrounded clumps of fixed vegetation* 
occasionally on accumulations of pond material floating on the surface! 
Breeds in large colonies, often in association with the Whiskered Tem. 
Usually three, varying from deep olive or pale chocolate to 
gieemsh-grey or buff,.covered with blotches, dots, or streaks of black or 
umber, generally forming an irregular belt round the larger end. Breeding- 
season: May, June, and July (southern and central Europe, across central 
Asia to China). 
26. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias leucopareia Temminck 
Iciic-o-par-ci'-a —Gk, leucos, white; Gk, pareia , cheeks. 
occurs in Europe, 
A Distribution. Australia and Tasmania; also 
Africa, central and southern Asia, and Malaysia. 
rbiVfl^ ^ so caded Marsh Tern. Usually in flocks, frequenting 
pytrpm " CS an r ^ ie * ldand districts. It has an easy and 
grac ? f , ul fl . ,ghl as lt: P asses over the lakes, every now and then 
fi^rV^ the water after {ood > which consists mostly of live 
nsh and aquatic insects and their larvae. J 
strnr^,^T Com n° Se f ° f green rushes or aquatic plants, forming a flat 
placed iirinn neia n °ating upon the surface of the water. Sometimes 
shore g rushes growing in deep water, some distance from the 
