
‘48 THE NATURAL HISFORY 
.They feem to employ themfelves in this 
fifhing with great gaiety and cheerfulnefs, if we 
may judge from the variety of their cries, which 
may be heard at a great diftance: but they only 
flock together in breeding time; afterwards they 
all difperfe. 
The tail of the common Tern is forked; the two 
outer tail feathers are half white and half black. 
They are found in the feas near Europe. ‘The male 
and the female always fly together. ‘They are_ 
very quick and fkilful fifhers, and digeft the fifh 
almoft as foon as they are {wallowed: that part 
which is the loweft digefts firft. The female lays 
two or three large eggs, in a little hollow in the 
fand, always fheltered from the north wind; and 
if any perfon approach the neft, both the birds 
attack him, crying very loud and frequently. 
The female fits on her eggs only in the night, or 
whilft it rains in the day: at all other times fhe 
leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the fun. 
The young draw themfelves along, and leave the 
| nett almoft as foon as they are hatched. The 
parents feed them with pieces of fifh, and cover 
them under their.-wings at night. But this care 
does not continue long. The little ones then keep 
themfelves warin by lying clofe together: and the 
parents, inftead of feeding them with their beaks, 
let 
il 

