“At Ziirra,” says Mr. Salvia, “ we found it breeding, a considerable number frequenting the marsh.
Numerous as the bird was, we only obtained five eggs ; and these were not collected by ourselves. In fact
we left Zana before the birds began to sit, and consequently were never able to determine the exact locality
where they breed ; hut it is probably on some of the small mounds on the north side o f the marsh, which
stand like islands out o f the swampy gronnd. These Terns feed over the grass-fields and open land, hovering
and descending as our more familiar species do on the English coast over a shallow, their food being grass-
hoppers and beetles, which there swarm.”
Specimens were obtained by Mr. Tristram on sand-spits and small lagoons north o f Beyrout, in Palestine;
Mr. Wright states that three magnificent examples were killed at Malta, in May 1864 ; Lord Lilford
observed that the species was not uncommon at Butrinto, in the Ionian Islands, in January,’ February, and
March ; Messrs. Elwes and Buckley found it to be common on the coast o f Albania, in summer; and Mr.
W. H. Simpson has given the following interesting account respecting the bird in Western Greece :-s? ’Si,
" The most numerous o f all the birds, during the latter half o f May, on the lagoon of Mesolonghi are the
Terns, and notably Sterna: Brando, minuta, and anglica. If unmolested, their numbers would be enormous,
as there are probably few places in the Mediterranean more adapted by nature for these birds, if innumerable
flat islets and sandy spits washed by an immense extent o f very shallow salt water abounding in fish
can be any inducement to their undertaking the duties o f incubation. But now that the towns of MesolonglJS
and lEtolico are beginning to stir, and the fisheries to be more looked after, all the birds will suffer from the
increase o f activity. The eggs o f Sterna anglica especially are much eafen by the natives. It was from
this circumstance that I came to discover their principifcolony, as the following extract from my note-book
will showivr-* On the 23rd I started in my monoxylon with Vitalis and a native to search the salt lagoon
and the islets south-east o f thè; town, my chief object being to discover the quarters o f Stèrna anglica
which was dying about in every direction. This bird had caused me many a fruitless ride across the high’
plains of the Atlas during the summer o f 1857; and it now seemed likely that I was to have another
equally wild-goose chase across the lagoon and mud-flats o f Mesolonghi, under the equally powerful sun
of Greece. Already several days had elapsed since we first noticed them, and still we were unable to gain
any satisfactory tidings o f their mysterious retreat. My associates became very mutinous in consequence
of our prolonged dl-success ; so I directed the boat to he landed at a fisherman’s hut, outside the main
group o f islets, where some fish was roasted to appease their hunger and ill-temper. While this was
being prepared, the usual questions, o f course, were put, and elicited the usual reply in the negative.
•Where do these broken shells come from, then ?’ -Oli I they come from a long way off; and the hird^
wont lay any more,’ -Wouldn’t twenty lefta. per egg induce the birds to alter their determination?’
I hey couldn t lay upon trust ; part o f the money must be paid down.’ So the fisherman’s boy agreed
to try, and our monoxylon set off towards the outer spit, which was searched without success On
returning to the islet, I was much surprised at seeing a straw hat, filled witheggs o f Sterna anglica, awaiting
onr inspection. Late as it was, I made the boy take me to the place, where I had the satisfaction o f seeing
the bird m great numbers, and succeeded in finding four nests, two of which, with their full complement of
eggs, were taken then and there.’ The greater number o f the nests were on two of the innermost islets of
he group Generally they were placed on the raised outer edge, which, in case o f flood, would remain
longest lugli mid dry. The eggs were deposited upon the sand or soil, in a depression slightly lined with a
few hits o f dead g ra ss-an d are not easily detected, as their colours blend with surronnding objects The
birds appear to commence incubation simultaneously, or nearly so, as, most o f the nests contained eggs
pietty fresh. They did not evince the anxiety which many Terns do about their eggs, but simply contented
themselves w .h flying,» a body at a great height over the islands. I stronglyTuspect thaHn , I ,¿ s e t t
countnes the Lems do not care to s,t upon their eggs throughout the. day ; and this may be the reason why
one often sees flocks o f Sterna anglica feeding miles away from bead quarters.”
Mr. Jerdon says “ This Tern is exceedingly abundant all over India, frequenting tanks, marshes and
rivers and occasionally hunting over the fields. It feeds alike on aquatic food and on grasshoppers, bertles
and other insects, and is a noisy bird.” ’
The eggs are one inch and seven eighths long, by an inch and five sixteenths in breadth ; the ground-colour
fine huff, spotted all over with irregularly shaped spots o f dark brown, rufous, and purpli h, the lig“
appearing as if beneath the surface. "S'ntr nins
The sexes are alike in plumage at the respective seasons ; that is, their heads are jet-black in summer
S h B H H 1 H The y°mgI °" *he 0ther H var-'' ver? materially from youth to
maturity. The one figured is, perhaps, a month or five weeks old ; and its differences from the adult will he
readily perceptible on reference to the accompanying Plate.
The figures represent an adult male and a young bird, about the size of life.