birds are extraordinarily tame, and often remain on
the eggs till the intruder is within a few feet, when
they usually walk off to a few yards distance, or take
wing and hover closely around, uttering a short grating
note.
In the locality to which I allude many Sea-Pies and
Ringed Plovers were also breeding at the time of my
visits, and their agitation and endeavours to draw our
attention away from their eggs and young were curiously
in contrast with the feigned indifference of the Terns.
In one instance we discovered two very recently hatched
Ring-Plovers cowering over three eggs of the Little
Tern. The Editor of the 4th edition of ' Yarrell' refers
to some eggs of this species taken at the end of the
North Wall, Dublin ; and I have found some within a few
yards of a constantly frequented footway in Spain. In
the same country I have often watched these Terns
fishing within a few yards of the spot upon which I and
others sat on the shore, or in our boat, without any
attempt at concealment.
Erom its great beauty and marvellous tameness, the
Little Tern is a special object of pursuit to the loafers
who infest our sea-coasts, and shoot at every bird that
presents itself; and, alas ! the bodies of this Tern find a
ready sale for the decoration of the hats and bonnets of
thoughtless womankind. It is not very long ago since
I met, on the favourite promenade of a well-known
sea-side resort, a young woman who evidently considered
that her natural attractions were enhanced by
the exhibition of a whole skin of one of these Terns,
with wings extended, and glass eyes of bright orange,