Tern

a family of aquatic birds allied to the gull. The tern is a swifter bird and is often called a sea swallow. In flight the bill of the tern points downward; that of the gull straight forward. The tern darts down to the surface of the water, even diving for its food, and regains wing again. The black tern is ten inches long, with head, feet, and under parts black--upper parts slate color, and under part of tail white. It is an inland bird. It breeds from Kansas and Illinois to Alaska. This tern pays no attention to fish, but skims the swamps on tireless wing, taking insects, particularly the dragon fly. The western plowman is followed by a hovering flock of these fearless birds watching for freshly upturned grubs, which they snatch from the furrow at his very heels. This tern nests in sloughs on floating vegetation, and lays two to three grayish, olive-brown eggs. It goes miles from its nest in search of food.