but on the'ïow. coasts and islands of the North Sea, from
Jutland to the'Netherlands, it breeds in great abundance.
On migration it Visits the coasts of France, and therë'arë
probably some breeding-places in the north-westfff-t is common
in Spain on passage, and somefremain to.breed, as they
also do in Sardinia, and perhaps in Sicily? Further up fee
Mediterranean it is comparatively rare, "but|# breeds’plentifully
in the Black Sea, and on the Seal Islands in the' Caspian.
Eastward it is found along the Arabian"-and- Persian
coasts as far as Kurachee in Sind. It frequents the' iforth
coast of Africa; breeds in the'Canaries, and g’qes-down fee
west coast in winter as far as Cape H
In America this ,Tè,rh, which was fprifrerly distinguished
there as- Stevna acuftavida, is: found in summer' alonfPjllfe
Atlantic seaboard from New England to Honduras/where Mr.
Salvin found it -breeding, and he also’ fpund^i^feommon on
both.coasts of Guatemala. In winter it migratës'ïïoirfewards
to Brazil, the Editor^having^a'spec^^^Oljtained ait.Bahia.
,; The nests, are frequently but JitÜe- more than shalTow'htf||s
scratched in tbs sand; among, fee sea-campion or -other plan ^
but on Walney Island and ehse^h'ere^tdMrablyf solid
of grass bents have been noticed!' The'! eggsfeve usually
two in number, rarely thrèe /feutMn the 'large-breeding-
eolonies birds not unfrequently ^drop^^feeir^ eggs'in ^@hre
another s nests, and the Editor ohce ^fofriid- three - eggs-^two
of the Sandwich, and one belonging'to the* Arcfe&’op the
Common Tern— the same J||l]ow of a mass of hea^taiiïg,
on the Wamseys,. the principak^Io^^
In-colour there, is considerable'variation^ many of ’the*e|gs,
being of a'rich ^ f 6 wish-stope grojaud , thrc%;'scroIe|f>aid
spotted wjth affegpey, or|ngm-]^own,' and deep%|f-brown,
but in f ib ers fee ground-colour is, creamy-white ;^a.veWgc
measurements-2 in. by/ffilp in. Byfeefefeermen - this
species’ is c a a l l if^lfetker
species passing Sunder fed general name Q^h5§,a^\l:alUws.’
Its habits .strongly--resemble those .'of its$£enus/ and it
subsists upon similar Muds of fish, the sand-lance and young
gar?fish fprmingfeq, prin eipal -supply. Its flights-^lOPg and
rapid, making a great advance, at each stroke of fee pinions,
and, except when engaged in incubation^ it is almost constantly
on the wing, utteying at intervals a hoarse and grating
cry,Jcirliitt, kirhitt, which can be heard at a great distance.
The adult bird in summer has > the- bill black, the tip
lemon-yellowfeg/ iride.s hazel; afkfeqi- parts |ofjfe§ .head
above the eyes black ; fee feathers on the occiput elongated,
forming a ioose plump-which ends in a point; chd^s,vsides,
and lower part of the neck behind, white ; back and wings,
peafegrey, the ends'of the,.secondaries, and upper primaries,
almost white ; the.-,longest primary slate-grey, with a white
shaft, - the feext fe|e£ferigiaries diminishing in 'felpur in
succession till they become, ofr the; same tint as feefwing-
coyerts ; tips and inner margins of webs*, feitp^fep tail wfrite
and' forked ; chin, throat.’meck .in front, breast, andpfefee
^]|dp#jjirface pf the body white, often suffused, with a lpvely
salmon-pink.; legs;' foes, and feeir membraneslblack? maws
Curved and bläek. The wlMeiongfe of the bird, from the
fpoint®©l^feh?beak to*fegend of the longest tail-feather-,;is
fifteen inches.^ From fee/ carpal joint to the end of the
Jppgest quill-fe^thpr twelve inches."" In winter the forehead
and .crown 4 ^ © - tied and streaked with black.
A .young bird oi‘ the ye§ip kifed on fep-Mth- of August
is/about' fern .inches imiengtWg the uppen mandible, dark
brown, tbp undergone pale brown at? fee'base ; " forehead
- greyish-white.. .top#ipftthe head and the .occiput black; buck
federn aller wing-goae^ts .ash-grey, varied wife pale brown;
•gmafgr A |» f|s ash-gfcy,"quill-feathers bluish-grey^frecinner
margins white, the oifrside^ quifef§#feer almost black, except
fee, shaft. whichyKwbi t l : -tail-feathers | M .wife-ash-grey
and browu&feeg-s, tops, and membranes dark brown-.
^ky^-FP^ngfebid.-figured in-fee’fepitratipn has the head
mottled wjfe black and whfre m fee back, wipg-cpv.ertp and
tail-feathers .v%rjpd^fe angular lines of black.
r7 . A •ufrstlipg- about three daysfeXd,-taken on Norderney, has
fe e upper parts finelvÄpfeledjwife bufiy-grey; under parts
•'•white: legs and feet. greyißh-brown;p'; webs-
:-paler.