[] i i >MMON TERN. 



or else had been overwhelmed in tunc of storm. We made the circuit of the 

 cited children, only taking care not to crush the eggs beneath our 

 f ee t. The birds themselves were tireless m voice and wing, and would not be 

 lulled to an) sense of security, while the strangers were on their premises. The 

 convenient, terrace-like arrangement of the ground invited the taking of a 

 census, which showed the following results: empty nests, 200; nests with eggs, 

 _• 12 ; iicst^ with young only, 25 ; loose squabs, j<>. * inly those empty nests were 



A TYPICAL BIT OK NESTING GROUND. 



counted which showed some si^ns of architecture, — perhaps half the number. 



Some of the nests were quite respectable affairs, neat cushions of bark and 

 feathers and trash ; but for the most part eggs were dumped just anywhere on 

 the gravel. Two nest-, were found in the corners of dry-goods boxes, which 

 had been cast up on the reef. One of these contained a waif cork by way of a 

 nest egg. \ large percentage of the eggs found were evidently deserted or 

 dried-up specimens. Others were on the very point of hatching: while a few- 

 were perfectly fresh. 



A similar visil and inventory was made at "the Chick," a half-acre reef 



