COMMON TERN, 655 



is every reason to presume that it passes along the coast in 

 spring and autumn, hke others of the genus which nest on 

 the east coast of Britain, but, as it is the earHest to leave 

 on its southward migration, it escapes detection before the 

 shooting season commences. Its note is easily recognisable, 

 even when mingling with those of its congeners, and exactly 

 resembles the latter half of the Corn Crake's call. 



Tho Roseate Tern nests in limited numbers on the Fame 

 Islands ; off the east of Scotland ; and on two or three islands 

 on the west coast of Britain, at one of which a colony of 

 considerable size exists ; there is strong presumptive evidence, 

 also, that it breeds on some of the small rocky islets off 

 the west coast of Scotland. The eggs of this bird have a 

 characteristic individuality, being quite distinct from those 

 of the Common and Arctic species ; a clutch of a rather 

 peculiar variety, in my collection, has the ground colour 

 of a yellowish stone tint, heavily blotched with dark reddish 

 brown and violet under-markings. 



[The Sooty Tern (S. fuliginosa, J. F. Gmelin), recorded as 

 shot in 1863, at Scalby, near Scarborough, which passed into 

 the collection of the late Ed. Tindall (" Vertebrate Fauna of 

 Yorkshire," and Tindall MS.), proved to be a Black Tern, 

 As yet neither this bird nor the Noddy Tern {Anous stolidus) 

 has occurred in Yorkshire.] 



COMMON TERN. 

 sterna hirundo (Naumann). 



Bird of passage in spring and autumn. Occasionally occurs inland. 



Though sea-fowl are not valued as table delicacies at the 

 present day, the first allusion to the Tern, as a Yorkshire bird, 

 appears in the Northumberland Household Book (15 12). 

 Amongst the birds for " My Lordes own Mees," are included 

 " Ternes after iiij. a jd." 



Another early mention of the species is contained in the 



