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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excellent eating. Unlike the other members of its family the Noddy takes its preywhile skimming along the surface of the water; and the old birds seek their food, which consists principallyof small fishes, at a greater distance from land than Terns are generally observed to do. Mr. Nuttall states in his Manual of the ornithology of the United States and of Canada, that the Noddiesbreed in great numbers in the Bahama Islands, laying their eggs on the shelvings of rocks; and we observethat Dr. Latham, on the authority of others, makes a similar statement; he was told also that these birds laytheir eggs in vast numbers on certain small rocky islands near St. Helena. Forehead white passing into grey on the back of the head; immediately before the eye a patch of deepblack; throat and sides of the face greyish brown; primaries and tail deep blackish brown; the remainderof the plumage dull sooty brown, inclining to chocolate; bill and feet black. We have figured an adult of the natural size.
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(-1 w 5 3 g £M^ Genus VIRALVA, Leach. Gen. Char. Beak shorter than the head, subulated, nearly straight, slightly compressed, thetip a little inclined: the upper mandible nearly straight. Nostrils oblong, basal. Wingslong. Tail slightly forked. Feet four-toed, slender; the hinder toe minute. Claws small. BLACK TERN. Sterna nigra, Linn.Viralva nigra, Leach.LHirondelle-de-mer epouvantail. Although we have given the generic characters of the genus Viralva of Dr. Leach, comprehending thoseTerns which have their tails almost square, in addition to other less important characters ; Ave still hesitateto adopt the genus of this naturalist, on the ground, that the separation is established on characters too trivialin our opinion to substantiate a new genus. It will, however, be our aim to give a complete account of thehabits of the present bird and the other European species included in this genus, leaving our readers to adoptit, or not, as they think best. The Black Tern is an abundant speci

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