66 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
Terns fkim the waves, and feize the little 
fifh that are upon ‘the furface. Their feet have 
little membranes, drawn back between the toes, — 
_ which would be of very little ule 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, flopping, and croffing their 
flight in many different directions. They feize their 
prey as they fly, or refting an inftant only, on the 
water : for they are not fond of fwimming. 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 aflemble 
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 egos without being almoft deafened 
hy their noife. They come upon the Englifh coaft 
about May: fome of them devour infe&s, 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. a 
ce 
