838 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



the specimens in,lxis collection, I found <S'. poliocerca to range as low as 

 12'75 in the wing as against 15'12 in the lai'gust specimens from the 

 Persian Gulf. Since coming to lasmania I have^ prociued a fully adult 

 specimen with a wing 12-0, and I find the bu'd is dafl'erent in its note^and 

 habits from the Indian Teni, and that the plumage is beautifully 

 suffused with rose-coloui' on the luider sm"face, a featiu"e not observed 

 in specimens of true S. bergii. Should individuals from all pajrts of 

 Australian seas show the same size, .1 am of opinion that <S'. poliocerca 

 may stand as a distinct species." 



Colonel Legge, on the authority of Mr. G. K. Hinsby, the well-knovm 

 Tasmamian collector, states that the niunber of eggs laid by /b'. puliocerca 

 is two, whereas the birds I found nesting on a rock off Rottuest Island, 

 Western Australia, which axe reckoned to be the true S. bergii, were 

 each sitting on one egg only. From an oologist's standpoint these facts 

 appear vmdoubted evidence in favour of two species, or at least two 

 distinct varieties. 



Ihe following is Mr. A. E. Brent's evidence :• — '" About the third week 

 in November (1880), wc foiuid these birds nesting in company with the 

 little Sliver Gulls in large numbers on the small islands in the southern 

 part of Tasmania. In most cases the bu'ds were sitting on one egg, 

 but many of the nests contained two eggs. The nests wei'e so numerous 

 that it was almost impossible to walk amongst them without treading 

 on the eggs." 



Before leaving the Bass Strait species, I may mention that dm-ing the 

 visit of the Field Naturalists' Expedition to Furneaux Group, we 

 disturbed a small colony on the Samphire Kiver Reef in Fran k li n 

 Soimd, commencing to nest, and they had not laid. Date, 18th 

 November, 1893. We were also informed that these Terns bred in 

 numbers on a rock (Bramble?) lying to the south of Goose Island. 



Touching the nesting place of H. bcryit or the proper Crested Tern, 

 it is delightful for me to reflect that I gained my experience on probably 

 the same isolated rock off Rottnest Island where the good Gilbert, 

 years before, found these fine birds in such great numbers breeding. 

 I give my own pictm-e of the place. Date, 21st November, 1889. 

 Direction Islet is a huge solitary sandstone rock, about thirty feet high 

 and perhaps half a cable in length. On its simimit gi'ows, in spai-se 

 quantity, jiig-face weed and other short vegetation. We obt;iin landing 

 in a nook on the lee side, where, close by, we are gi-eeted by a pail" of 

 fully-fludged yoxuig, tenanting a Fish Hawk or Osprey's aerie. We 

 proceed to examine the rock. Some of the common Terns are evidently 

 on good terms with the owners of the Osprey's nest, beca^use they have 

 deposited their eggs and are prosecuting then- task of incubation near 

 the base of the aerie, perfectly fearless of their large raptorial friends. 

 However, the majority of the Tenis prefer breeding at the other and 

 more precipitous (weather) end of the rock. Here is a. scene to gladden 

 the heart of any naturalist. It fairly thrilled lue with delight. Standing 

 upon the apex of the, rock there appeaa.s before us a, congregation, con- 

 sisting of scores of these lar-gc handsome sea/-birds. Their silvei^ dresses, 

 relieved by black caps and yellowish bills, arc in agreeable contrast to 

 the duU-coloui-ed rocks and vegetation, with theii- liberal dressing of 



