66 THE.NATURAL HISTORY 
Tetns fkim the waves, and feize the little 
fith that are upén the furface. Their feet have 
little membranes, drawn back between the toes, ° 
which would be of very little ufe in fwimming. 
. They feem to depend ‘only upon their wings, 
which are very long, and floped, like thofe of the 
‘common {wallow; and they ufe them, in the fame 
manner, to hover, to fail, to dart through the air, 
in raifing, lowering, ftopping, and croffing their 
flicht inmany different directions. They feize their 
prey as they fly, or refting an inftant only, on the 
water : for they are not fond of {wimming. They 
frequent the fhore, or lakes and large rivers. 
They make a loud, piercing, and fhrill cry, efpe- 
cially when the weather is calm, and when they 
“rife very high in the air; or when they affemble 
together in the fummer. They are moft noify in 
the feafon when they breed ; and as they are very 
numerous, one cannot approach the place where 
they lay their eggs without being almoft deafened 
by their noife. They come upon the Englith coaft. 
‘about May: fome of them devour infects, which 
they take in the air as they fly. They are not 
frightened at the noife of fire-arms, for if one 
be wounded, others will furround him, and fall. 
with him nearly to the furface.of the water. 
3 It 

