S. arctica, Tern. ?Irctic Tern. Bill slender, red, without. black at the tip, length of the tarsus six lines ; tail much forked, and sometimes rather exceeding the wings in length. Length of the bird about thirteen inches and a half. Was observed in great numbers within the arctic circle, parti cularly in Baffin's and Davis' Straits, in the course of the recent northern expeditions. Specimens killed in Scotland, and on the coasts of England, were found not to differ from those imported by Captain Sabine ; but all differ from Sterna hirundo in the shortness of the tarsus, the limited extent of white on the abdomen, the deep cinereous of the neck, throat, and belly, the greater length of the tail, and the smaller dimensions of the bill and toes.
S. ?inglica, Mont. Tern. S. aranea, Wils. Gu/Ihead or Marsh Tern. Bill very short, thick, and quite black ; legs long and black; length of the tarsus one inch and three or four lines; tail slightly forked ; the wings extending three inches beyond its extremity ; hinder toe straight. These particulars, with others which might be stated, sufficiently discriminate this from the Sandwich tern, with which it was long confounded. But the epithet 4nglica is rather unfortunately selected ; for the species is far from common in this island, whereas it abounds in Hungary, and on the confines of Turkey, and it exists both in North and South America. The Hungarians call it llama. It breeds on the borders of lakes and salt marshes, and feeds on spiders and various insects. The female lays three or four oliva ceous eggs, spotted with brown, on a tuft of grass or herb age.
S. nigra, Lin. Rc. Black Tern, Prov. Stern, Car Swal low, Scare Crow, Cloven footedGull. Bill black ; legs purple brown ; webs gashed to the half of their length ; height of the tarsus seven or eight lines ; tail slightly forked, and the wings extending an inch and a half be yond its extremity. The varieties which take place in consequence of nonage and double moulting have given rise to the nominal species of S. fissines and S. obscura, Gmel. and Lath. and to S. neevia, Gmel. The general plumage is rather dusky than quite black. Length nine inches and three or four lines. Frequents the rivers, lakes, and marshes of the north, is numerous in Holland and Hungary, and not uncommon on the coast of Picardy, among the fens of Lincolnshire, &e.; but is supposed to haunt fresh water in preference to salt, and to feed princi pally on insects. About the middle of May the female prepares a nest of flags or broad grass, in the mast marsby "Places, on a tuft just above the surface of the water, and lays almost invariably four eggs, weighing about three drachms each, of a clear olivaceous hue, mottled with nu merous brown and black spots, which are confluent round the middle of the egg.
S. minuta, Lin. ke. Minute, or Lesser Tern, Lesser Sea Swallow, or Hooded Tern. Bill orange-coloured, but black at the tip, legs orange, length of the tarsus seven lines, tail much forked, forehead white. This is a pretty little species, resembling the common tern in miniature, but has the tail wholly white. It measures about eight inches in length, nineteen in spread of wing, and weighs little more than two ounces. Nothing can exceed the clear and glossy whiteness of the closely set feathers on the un der parts of the body ; but the upper plumage is of a plain sober lead grey. The young are seldom capable of flying till the first or second week in July, when their upper plumage is more or less of a pale yellow brown, in termingled with cinereous, and the tail is nearly even at the end. The minute tern chiefly haunts the sea-shores, and more rarely lakes and rivers, living on marine insects, worms, the spawn and fry of fish, &c. It is gregarious in the breeding season ; and the female lays two or three eggs, of a clear greenish, marked with large brown and cinereous spots, among the pebbles on the beach. It oc curs in the northern latitudes of Europe, on the White and Caspian Seas, in Siberia and North America. It is rather scarce in the interior of France and Germany, but more common on the shores of Holland, France and Bri tain. Though not generally so plentiful in England as the common species, it is in some districts more numerous, particularly on the coasts of Lincolnshire. Beloit adverts, with his accustomed simplicity of style, to its stunning clamour. In his time the fishermen used to float a cross of wood, in the middle of which was fastened a small fish, as a bait, with limed twigs, stuck to the four corners, and on which the bird darting was entangled by the wings.
S. stolida, Lath. &c. Foolish Tern, or Noddy. Body black, front whitish, eye-brows, bill, and legs black, hind head cinereous. Size of the common tern, and, in confor mation, approaching to the next family. It is found chiefly within the tropics, and reposes at night on the shore. At Cayenne, thesd birds are very numerous in the breeding season ; and, if a cannon is fired, they rise from the Grand Constable's rock in such multitudes as to form a dark cloud. Nor are they less abundant about the Bahamas, Ascension, on the coasts of New Holland, New Guinea, Otaheite, &c. The females lay their eggs on the bare rocks ; and, when the important duty of rearing their young is accomplished, the flocks disperse, and roam over the seas. They have their specific designation front their apparent stupidity, settling on the rigging of vessels, and allowing themselves to be caught with the hand, or knocked down with sticks.