Identifier: birdsEuropeVGoul (find matches)
Title: The birds of Europe
Year: 1837 (1830s)
Authors: Gould, John, 1804-1881
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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mes on the approach of spring of a deep rich and glossy black,which change is common to both sexes. The nest is merely a hollow scraped in the sand or shingle; the eggs are four in number, and we haveourselves received them from the small shingly islands at the mouth of the Baltic, which, from the numerousspecimens we have seen from that locality, we conceive must form one of the stations to which the CaspianTern resorts in great numbers for the purpose of breeding: it doubtless also breeds on most of the shoresof the Black and other seas before mentioned. In summer the forehead, crown of the head, and occiput, are black; back, scapulars, wing-coverts, andtail pearl grey; quills greyish brown; the remainder of the plumage pure white; bill rich vermilion ; legsand feet black. The young of the year are clouded and transversely barred with marks of brown, much after the mannerof the young of the Sandwich and other European Terns. The Plate represents a male in summer of the natural size.
Text Appearing After Image:
— - - I as SANDWICH TERN. Sterna cantiaca, Gmel.LHirondelle de Mer caugek. Like most others of its race, the Sandwich Tern visits the British Isles only during the warmer part of theyear, breeding along our shores; and in some localities, as the coast of Kent, Essex, and the Farn Islands offNorthumberland, being in considerable abundance. As the severity of winter approaches, and drives intodeeper water the young Crustacea and fishes on which it feeds, it leaves us for more temperate latitudes,where its food is ever accessible. It is one of the largest of our British Terns, and, unlike some of thegenus, is seldom or never seen along inland rivers or upon the large European lakes. Its locality is vex-yextensive, there being few coasts in the Old World where it is not found. In manners and general economy,it differs in no respect from its congeners, being equally remarkable for rapid flight and all that activity andaddress which fit it for passing over the rough billows of the rock-bo

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