NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 835 



The Caspiau Tern is almost cosmopolitan as far as oceaus and seas are 

 concerned, being more numerous, of com-sc, in certain localities. Nowhere 

 in Australia does it live in colonieSj but rather in pairs, frequenting 

 particular islets of rocks, bold headlands and flats at the estuaries of 

 rivers. In some parts of the world, notably in India nnd the Persian 

 Gulf, the Caspian Tern lays in colonies, small or gi'cat. 



As Gould ha.s stated, nothing could be easier than to discover its eggs, 

 because of the clamorous, cackling, screecliing notes wliich the bird con- 

 stantly utters while flying over the place where they are deposited. 



I well recollect my first introduction to a pair of these fine Terns. 

 It occurred at the mouth of the Sea Elephant River, King Island, 8th 

 November, 1887. I was in the company of Mr. D. Le Souef, when a 

 bird, with buoyant flight on extensively developed wings and with bill 

 extended, screeched at us overhead wth hoai-se voice most frantically. 

 It was soon joined by its mate. We searched in vain for its eggs, but 

 it was not imtil the shingly patch on the opposite side of the river was 

 systematically searched in sections that a set of three fine eggs, which 

 in a remarkable degree resembled the surroundings, was discovered iii 

 a depression without a semblance of a nest. 



Again, dui-ing another visit (November, 1893) of the Field Naturalists' 

 Club to the Fumeaux Group, we found isolated pairs of Caspian Terns 

 nesting on the small islands, usually near the rockv summit, where the 

 bird had a good look-out, the nest being a .slight hollow in the coarse, 

 sandy earth, amongst the pig-face weed, dead or living. 



During my, Abrolhos trip. Western Australia (1889), I observed small 

 companies about the reefs, or singlv, diving for fish in the harbours. 

 Fledgelings were noted on the 15th December, also a fresh egg was taken 

 on the same date. The young in down are white underneath, mottled 

 with black and brown above. 



Further north on the mainland, at Point Cloates, Mr. T. Carter has 

 taken Caspian Tern eggs in September. 



In New Zealand, the late Mr. T. H. Potts remarked that " this fine 

 Tern is content with merely a hollow scraped in the sand, just large enough 

 to contain its eggs, the breeding sea.son extending from .November to 

 January.'' Sir Walter Buller confinns that breeding term, and add=; 

 that the young birds, however, follow their parents up till the end of 

 March, settling down with them on the sands, quivering their wings 

 as if impatient for attention, and making an incessant squealing or 

 whining cry. 



General breeding season, August or September to January. 



53 



