i86 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



stations were on the Scilly Isles, on Foulney and 

 Walney off the Lancashire coast, as well as other 

 islets off the coasts of Scotland and Ireland. 

 Possibly the Fame Islands have never been 

 absolutely deserted by the Roseate Tern, and 

 though extinct now in most of its old retreats, it 

 still breeds upon them, and is likely to continue 

 doing so now that the birds upon them are being 

 strictly preserved, purely, we believe, by private 

 enterprise. In 1896, Dr. Sharpe was informed of 

 another " nice little colony " established in Wales ; 

 so that reasonable hopes may be entertained of the 

 beautiful Roseate Tern thoroughly re-establishing 

 itself in our islands, after being apparently on the 

 very brink of extinction. Great care, however, will 

 be necessary, and the few resorts of this species kept 

 as secret as possible, and free from the intrusion of 

 trading and grabbing collectors. It is possible that 

 the scarcity of this Tern is in a measure due to the 

 persecution of man, but another cause, and a more 

 serious one, may be found in the fact that the bird 

 is driven off by the more powerful Common Tern. 

 Mr. Saunders was assured by Dr. Bureau that no 

 less than three colonies of the Roseate Tern had 

 succumbed to the larger species on the coast of 

 Brittany alone. 



