LITTLE TEEN.
STERNA MINUTA, Linn.
Sterna minuta, Linn. S. N . i. p. 228 (1766) ; Naum. x. p. 145 ;
Macg. v. p. 652; Hewitson, ii. p. 4 8 1 ; Yarr. ed. 4, hi.
p. 558; Dresser, viii. p. 279.
Sterne naine, French; Zwerg-Seeschwalbe, German ;
Charranchico, Catalinita, Monchela, Spanish.
This exceedingly graceful bird is a summer visitor to
the coasts and lakes of Great Britain and Ireland,
generally arriving early in May, and taking its departure
in September. In all its habits the Little Tern closely
resembles the Common Tern or " Sea-Swallow;! i but I
never met with the present species in its breeding-haunts
in such numbers as I frequently have in the
case of the former bird. On an unfrequented stretch
of sandy coast, that I will not particularize, I many
years ago found a considerable number of Little Terns
breeding. No nest is made, and the eggs, of which I
consider three as the average full complement, are very
difficult to discover till the eye becomes accustomed to
distinguish them by their shape from the mottled
pebbles amongst which they are generally layed. The