UOSKATb' TURN.
where rough stones ami Utter were tattered among the slabs of rock, a shelter that afforded ample
concealment was with the help of a piece of olil sail-cloth speedily rigged up. After completing the work
mid placing the finishing touches on my hiding-place, the men withdrew towards the boats. A very
few minutes had elapsed when the Terns, after following the disturbers of their peace for some distance,
gradually reappeared on the scene, and after hovering round for a time without detecting the alteration
that had taken place, the nuuu body settled quietly down, though a few still continued on wing. The
grealer number of those that had alighted shortly betook themselves to their domestic duties, others were
busily occupied in chiming their plumage, and the remainder, after stretching and going through various
contortions, buried their heads iu the leathers of the back and sought, repose. Ample opportunities for
making good use of the glasses were now afforded, and after awaiting further arrivals for over half an hour,
I was satisfied that no Eoseate Terns had taken up their quarters at this station ; then moving on to the nest,
I was enabled iu the euurse of the day to make a thorough inspection of the whole of the Terns on the
islands. The following day was passed in watching Ihe Hocks and straggling parties of Terns that kept
at sea, either fishing in the hays around the islands or along the sandy shores of the mainland. Although
the birds proved exceedingly fearless and were closely approached and examined, I failed to detect in
their ranks any of the conspicuous strangers of which we were in search. In all probability but one
pair of the ltoseate Tern had been breeding this season on the islands, and the death of the female doubtless
accounted for the disappearance of her mate from the scene of his bereavement.
Statements have lately appeared in print to the effect that, ns a breeding-station, the Fern Islands
are now entirely deserted by this species. This may or may not be the case; I possiss, However, the best
evidence that scarcely a year has passed up to the present date without specimens baling been either
seen or procured in the immediate vicinity of the islands. The Isle of May, olf the northern shores of
the Firth of Forth, is enumerated among the breeding-haunts of the Roseate Tern; in this case 1 am
inclined to believe some error has arisen, having frequently visited the spot without observing the birds,
or gaining any information that would tend to substantiate the fact.
The tints on the breast of this species, when seen in lire or immediately after death, are far deeper and
richer than even the most enterprising colourists have ventured to depict; the rosy hue, however, soon
commences to fade, and in less than a hour a considerable alteration has taken place. The depth of Ihe
colouring doubtless varies considerably iu different individuals, and also according to the season of the
year. In August lSiit I examined a specimen, shot by a gunner on Ihe east coast, a few minutes after
it had been picked up, and remarked that the bird hy no means compared iu brilliancy with others
previously seen. It is, I am of opinion, only through Slay and the early part or dune that the rosy
tints are to lie seen in their full beauty.
Few opportunities for observing this species during life having fallen to inv share, I am unable to
supply the slightest information concerning its general habits. The figure in the Plate, which is taken
from the specimen obtained at the Fern Islands early in dune 1867, renders a description of the plumage
COMMON TERN.
STERNA FLUPIAT1LIS.
IN spring and autumn, while on the way to and from (heir hreeding-ipiarters, these Terns nny be (djsorved
in considerable numbers off various parts of our coast-line; the first-comers usually put iu an appearance
towards the cud of April, and all through Maya stream of birds in larger or smaller parties continues at
short intervals to pass onward towards the north. The mosl general movement appears to take place about,
the middle of May, when immense flocks are occasionally met with in the channel heading steadily on
towards the cast; after reachiug the open sea their course is turned for the north, some making for their
breeding.places on the shores of the firths and lochs of the Highlands, while the remainder continue their
journey lo more distant lands across the ocean.
Many of the brceding-staiiuns to which the Common Tern resorted in former days have been deserted :
these birds arc stated to have reared their young in considerable numbers on several of the wide-stretching
shingle-banks along the coasts of Kent and Sussex; I doubt, however, if a single egg has now been laid on
several of their Tormer haunts in this locality for some years. Common and Arctic Terns not uufreqiiently
breed in company : I often passed a mixed Colony of these birds on a ridge of low-lying land running down
to the Dornoch Firth between Morangio and the Jleikle Ferry, to which the name of Ardjackic Point was
given. Several of the nests were placed iu a field of backward oats, and others among ihe shingle ami rough
stones stretching down to the sandy fiats. So late ns duly 2nd, I find in my notes for 1SGS, there were hut
few broods of young birds to be seen ; in all probability the earlier clutches of eggs had been carried olf by
the country people li\ iug on the hill-side near at band.
Early iu June 1s>G7 I passed scleral days on the Fern Islands, and closely examined the Terns breeding
at all the stations; the only species I was enabled to identify were the Sandwich and Arctic, with the
exception of a single Roseate Tern. I was not then aware that the Common Tern had been stated by several
authors lo nest cm the islands; not a single specimen, however, was observed, nor did I meet with the nest
of a Tern with more than two eggs for which the rightful owners were responsible. In ono instance it was
obvious that an Oyster-Catcher had laid in the nest of a Sandwich Tern, and the third egg in the only nest
of the Arctic Tern that contained above the accustomed pair had evidently been deposited by a Kinged
Plover. From repeated observations concerning the nesting-habits of Terns, I am of opinion that the
Common Tern usually lays three, and the Arctic Tern invariably two eggs.
Along the shores or the Channel in Fast and West Sussex, and on ihe sands and mudbanks olf the coast, as
well as up ihe rivers of Norfolk, are the only places where 1 have met with opportunities for carefully watching
and making any lengthened observations on the spring and autumn migrations of Terns. Common
Terns, when on passage, usually fly iu largo flocks, composed entirely of their own species, though they
join at times in company with Arctic and Sandwich. Terns when passing lo aud from their summerquarters
do not 11 y in such dense bodies as Plovers. Wildfowl, or Gulls, their ranks being far more