A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman.
- George Montagu
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A dictionary of British birds : reprinted from Montagu's Ornithological dictionary, and incorporating the additional species described by Selby; Yarrell, in all three editions, and in natural-history journals / compiled and edited by Edward Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.
372/440 page 344
![slight mfous tinge, measuring scarcely one inch and a half in the tibite ; the foot is small, and the claws remai’kably hooked. The legs of the Anglica rather exceed two inches in length from the heel to the knee, their colour rufous-black; the toes longer than in the other species, especially the middle toe; and the claws unusually straight. It ivill be observed that in the former part of this work this species was described for the Sandwich Tern, from a specimen in our possession, having been, like others, led into the error for want of comparison: but the instant we had an opportunity of bringing the two birds to- gether the distinction was evident. The bill and legs alone are so pointedly charac- teristic that at first sight the species may now be determined, independent of j)lum- age. The size of the two species is nearly the same, but the Sandwich is a longer bird, being about eighteen inches in length, and two feet nine inches in breadth. [See also Tern, Sandwdch, un- der which name it appears Montagu de- scribed the present species.] Tern, Lesser.— [TarreZZ, iii. 524; Hew- itson, cxxxiv. 484.] Sterna minuta, Lin. Syst. i. p. 228, 4; Gmel. Syst. ii. p. 008; Ind. Orii. ii. p. 809,19; Bewick, Br. Birds, ii. t. p. 201. Sterna minor, Bris. vi. p. 206, 2, t. 19, f. 2 ; Ib. 8vo, ii. p. 416. Ea- rns piscator, Baii Syn. p. 131, A. 2 ; Will. p. 209, II. La petite Hirondelle de mer, Buf. viii. p. 337. Lesser Sea Swallow, Al- bin, ii. t. 90; BBl. Angl. p. 353, t. 08. Lesser Tern, Br. Zool. ii. No. 255, t. 90 ; Ib. fol. 144, t. L. 2; Arct. Zool. ii. No. 449 ; Lath. Syn. vi. p. 364, 18 ; Leioin, Br. Birds, vi. t. 205; Wale. Syn. i. t. 121; Don. Br. Birds, iv. t. 96 ; Bull. Cat. Dor- set. p. 18. Provincial: Richel-bii'd.—This is the smallest of the tiibe, measuring about eight inches and a half in length; weight about two ounces. Bill yellow, tipped with black; irides dusky. The fore- head is white ; the rest of the head above and the nape black ; from the bill to the eye a black streak; the sides of the head beneath the eyes, the neck, and all the under parts pure wliite; the back, sca2Ju- lars and wings pale grey, darkest on the quills; tail white ; legs yellow. This ele- gant little species has all the habits of the Common Tern, and breeds in the same places, but is far less numerous. We have with no small diflBculty found their eggs amongst the shingle, which were always two in number, placed in a small de- pression, without any nest; they are about the size of those of the Black Tern, of a very pale brown, spotted nU over with ci- nereous and dusky, but not so pointed as the eggs of that bird. What has been said of the manners and habits of the Common Tern -will equally answer for this; to that species thei’efore we refer our rearier. It is not, however, alwaj's found with that bird, as this is sometimes found to breed where the other is not. Supplement. — The very great difier- ence in the plumage of this species, be- tween the nestling and the adult, will show the necessity of great caution in ascertaining the several species of the genus. The young are seldom capable of fiying till the first or second week in July; at which time the plumage of the upper part is more or less of a pale yellow-brown, intermixed with cinereous; and on the back and scapulars each feather has an angular bar near the end ; on the back of the head the feathers are black tipped ■with grey: the quill-feathers are of an elegant cinereous-grey, white at the edges, and slightly tipped with yello^vish brown : the tail is nearly even at the end, almost white, with a dash of cinereous; in the middle of each feather a dusky spot on each web, and the tips yellowish: the whole under parts white ; the bill dusky, tinged mth yellow: legs duU yellow. This species is not considered so plentiful as the Sterna Hirundo, but in some places it is extremely common : on the coast of Lincolnshii-e it appears to exceed the other in number, especially about Skeg- ness. At that ifiace we sometimes ob- served three eggs together, for they make no nest. The weight of the egg is from two drams forty gi-ains to three drams. [Tem, Moustache.—SeeTern,'Whiskered.] [Tern, Noddy.— Yarrell, iii. 537 ; Hewit- son, cxxxiv. 486. Sterna stolida, Temm. Man. d’Omith. iv. 461; Yarrell, 1. c.—“ In the adult bii'd the bill is black; from the base of the bill to the eye is also black; irides brown; the forehead and crowm bulf-colour ; occiput smoke - grey ; the whole of the body above and below, and all the -wing-coverts, dark chocolate-brown; primaries and tail-feathers brownish black; legs, toes, membranes, and claws black. The whole length is fourteen inches and a half to the end of the tail, which is graduated, the middle pair of feathers being the longest; the wdng, from the caipal joint to the end of the first quill- feather, ten inches and a half.” — Yarrell, iii. 542. Two specimens of the Noddy were recorded by Mr. Thompson, of Bel- fast, in the ‘ Transactions of the Linnean Society ’ for 1835, as having occurred be- tween Wexford and Dublin : about four years previously Mr. Thompson observed these birds when casually looking over a collection belonging to Mr. Warren, of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28089935_0372.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
