424 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



Several of the eggs I found were showing signs of incu- 

 bation. There was not quite so much variation in the 

 colour and size as in the eggs of the Common Tern. The 

 complement of eggs in both species seems to be either 

 two or three." In a very lengthy and interesting account 

 of the breeding of the Lesser Tern, given by Mr. T. 

 Hepburn in his notes of the birds of North Kent, 1902-3, 

 the following particulars are given : " The colony of 

 Lesser Terns which I have had under observation now 

 for three successive seasons, it is pleasant to be able to 

 say so, seems to be increasing in numbers. The birds 

 make theii appearance in April, being then seen in small 

 parties fishing along the coast and creeks in the vicinity 

 of their nesting ground. The earliest date on which I 

 have a note of them is April 20, 1902 ; but I do not give 

 this as the date of their arrival, because my observations 

 have not been continuous enough to fix that date ; 

 although during a visit to the beach on April 14, 1903, 

 I saw no signs of them, and should therefore be inclined 

 to put the date of their arrival as somewhere between 

 April 14 and 20. They do not congregate on the beaches 

 where they nest until towards the middle of May. On 

 May 20, 1903, I found them in numbers on their own 

 particular stretch of beach, and I was rather surprised 

 to find two nests with one egg in each ; this is the earliest 

 date on which I have found their eggs. From the first 

 start of laying, I am of opinion that any day one would 

 be able to find fresh eggs, and eggs in all stages of in- 

 cubation. The only eggs I have taken from this colony 

 have been acquired simply with a view of testing the 

 times of laying. Thus an egg from a nest containing 

 three, taken on May 26, 1901, was so hard set that I 

 could hardly blow it. (This would put the first laying 



