GULL-BILLED TERN 425 



for this nest earlier than May 20.) At the same date an 

 egg from another nest was perfectly fresh. On June 18, 

 1903, I found a single egg which I thought had heen laid 

 since a visit on the previous day, and upon blowing it 

 my surmise proved to be correct. On June 25, 1902, a 

 single egg laid in a nest proved to be quite freshly laid, 

 as did also an egg apparently laid by chance on the beach. 

 At the same time, June 18, 1903, I handled nestlings just 

 hatched out ; and on June 28, 1902, I caught nestlings 

 beginning to flutter over the beach which had the primary 

 quills quite long." 



CASPIAN TEEN. 



Sterna caspia, Pallas. Nov. Conim. Petrop., xiv., 

 p. 582 (1769). 



The only record of the occurrence of this rare visitor 

 to Kent is taken from Mr. J. H. Gurney's list of the 

 specimens known to have occurred in England : " One, 

 Lydd, Kent, prior to 1845. Keported by Mr. E. P. 

 Thompson, Notebook of a Naturalist, p. 265 " (Zoo- 

 logist, 1867, p. 457). 



There is one in Dr. F. Plomley's collection which was 

 procured in the channel off the coast of Kent. 



GULL-BILLED TERN. 



Sterna anglica, Montagu. Ornitli. Diet. Suppl. 



(1813). 



The only instance of the occurrence of this species in 

 the county is one that Mr. W. Yarrell records in his 

 British Birds. It was killed in Kent in June, 1839. 



