This species may be distinguished from the preceding species by its blood-red bill, which is _not_ darker at the tip, and the shorter tarsi. The under parts, especially in summer, are much darker, and the stripe on the inner web of the flight feathers is narrower and darker than in _S. fluviatilis_. In other respects these species are almost indistinguishable. Length 14·5 in.; bill 1·6 in.; tail 7·5 in.; wing 10 in. THE LITTLE TERN Sterna minuta, Linnæus This is the smallest of our Terns and is a summer visitor, breeding in fair numbers on shingle beaches round the coast but becoming scarcer in the north. It may often be seen fishing in small parties at the tidal mouth of some small stream, especially when the tide is flowing. At such times it flies slowly towards the sea till it sees a fish, when it stops, hovers for a moment, and then drops on its prey, rising immediately from the water to resume its search; after progressing a short distance it will wheel back and return to its starting-point. The eggs are laid on the bare sand or shingle without any attempt at a nest; they are usually three in number and of a pale stone colour spotted with grey and brown. The note is a sharp “kik.” In summer the head and nape are black, except for the forehead, which is white. Upper parts grey, tail and under parts white. Bill yellow with a black tip. Legs orange. The young have the head white, streaked with blackish brown, mantle grey with buffish tips, under parts white. In their first autumn plumage they are very similar to the young of the Sandwich Tern, the feathers of the back being marked with black, brown, and white. Length 9 in.; wing 6·75 in. THE SOOTY TERN Sterna fuliginosa, J. F. Gmelin Stragglers of this tropical species have on two or three occasions been met with on our coasts. There is a white band across the forehead, which extends backwards over the eye on each side; rest of the upper parts deep sooty black; under parts white; outer web of outer tail feathers white. Bill and legs black. Length 17 in.; bill 2·1 in.; tail 7·5 in.; wing 11·75 in. THE NODDY Anous stolidus (Linnæus) Like the former, this is a tropical species, which has on two occasions wandered to our shores. The general colour is a dark chocolate brown all over except for the head, forehead, and crown, which are lavender grey. Length 16 in.; wing 10·5 in. SABINE’S GULL Xema sabinii (Joseph Sabine) This circumpolar species is a very rare autumnal visitor to our shores. Its chief breeding-grounds are the Arctic regions of North America, whence it migrates southwards, in winter.