. A popular handbook of the ornithology of the United States and Canada, based on Nuttall's Manual . perpetually breeding, in this mild latitudewere found laying at different times. In some places theyoung were hatched and grown, in others newly laid eggswere seen. They uttered a sharp and shrill cry, and were sofearless of the men who visited the island as to fly almost SOOTY TERN. 229 among them. The species is migratory, however, even inthese mild climates. Along the coasts of Georgia and Florida Wilson observedthese Terns in numerous flocks in the month of July. Theywere very noisy, and da
. A popular handbook of the ornithology of the United States and Canada, based on Nuttall's Manual . perpetually breeding, in this mild latitudewere found laying at different times. In some places theyoung were hatched and grown, in others newly laid eggswere seen. They uttered a sharp and shrill cry, and were sofearless of the men who visited the island as to fly almost SOOTY TERN. 229 among them. The species is migratory, however, even inthese mild climates. Along the coasts of Georgia and Florida Wilson observedthese Terns in numerous flocks in the month of July. Theywere very noisy, and darted down headlong after small of this species frequently settle on the rigging of ships atsea, and, in common with their relatives, are called Noddies bythe sailors. The Sooty Tern occurs regularly north to the Carolinas, and oc-casionally wanders to the shores of Massachusetts. It is almostexclusively a sea-bird, feeding chiefly upon fish, which it catches byswooping to the surface, not by dropping into the water. It rarelyfloats upon the water, but its flight is powerful and ^ft^^ BLACK TERN. SHORT-TAILED TERN. Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis. Char. Upper parts, deep slate gray ; head, neck, and under partsblack; lower tail-coverts white ; bill black; legs and feet dusky or red-dish brown. In winter the black is mostly replaced by white, the crowngray. Length about gVz inches. Nest. A slight hollow in the muddy soil of a reedy marsh, sometimessparsely lined with grass ; often placed on a platform of floating herbage,and then is made of reeds or coarse sedges firmly constructed. Eggs. 3; ground color varies from grayish buff to yellowish brown,sometimes tinged with olive ; profusely marked with several shades ofbrown and purplish gray ; average size about X i-oo. This is another aquatic bird common to the northern regionsof both continents, extending its residence to the Hmits of theArctic Circle, and breeding in the fur countries of the interioru
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