462 Mr. Selby on the Birds of the Farn Islands. 



closed wings. It is the most numerous of the Terns which resort 

 to these Islands, and the colony occupies a considerable portion 

 of Brown'' s Main. The eggs are placed so near each other that 

 it is almost impossible to walk upon the part they inhabit, with- 

 out crushing several in making the attempt. They are laid upon 

 the bare ground or gravel, and differ very much in colour and 

 marking. The young when excluded are covered with a party- 

 coloured down, usually of a fulvous or brown shade, with darker 

 variegations. They fledge very rapidly, and within a month from 

 the time of hatching are able to fly. Their food is the fry of the 

 Ammodytes Tobianus (Launce or Sand Eel) which is brought to 

 them in great abundance by their parents. They arrive towards 

 the middle of May, and desert their breeding station early in 

 August, 



Sterna Dougalii. Mont. Orn. Diet, 



Hirondelle de mer Dougall. Temm. Man, d'Omith. 2. 738. 



Roseate Tern. Mont. 



About fourteen years ago the keeper of the outer light-house 

 first noticed this as a new and distinct species. Information was 

 given me of the circumstance, and I went over to ascertain the 

 fact, and having killed several, found them to be the Sterna Dou- 

 galii or Roseate Tern of Montagu. Since that period they have 

 greatly increased, and now form a numerous colony, which occu- 

 pies a large space of ground near to that occupied by the Arctic 

 species, and a second station upon one of the Walmseys. Its eggs 

 are rather larger than those of S. Arciica, and the young differ 

 both in the early or downy, and in the feathered state. The old 

 birds are easily recognised amidst hundreds of the other species, 

 by their peculiar and buoyant flight, long tail, and note, which 

 may be expressed by the word crake^ uttered in a hoarse grating 

 key. The following is the description of the young of the year ; 

 bill black, orange yellow at the base ; forehead and crown of a 

 very pale wood-brown ; region of the eyes, ear coverts, and nape 

 of the neck, black, the latter barred with pale wood-brown : 

 back and wing coverts blueish-grey, barred with blackish-grey, 

 the feathers tipped with yellowish-white ; quills grey, the exte- 



