Terns of the Weepecket Islands, Massachusetts. 99 



young must consume great quantities of the Sand Lance, yet 

 the supply does not seem to diminish. 



There is no uniformity in the development of the instinct 

 to assume protective attitudes. With some young there is no 

 evidence of such an instinct while they remain in the nest, 

 while with others there seems to be almost as soon as the shell 

 is cast. All of the young from the beginning of the pin 

 feathers gave evidence of the instinct well developed. Some 

 young left the nest two days after hatching, some remained 

 for four days. When partly feathered birds on the uplands 

 were taken from their hiding places in the grass or bushes 

 their tendency was to try to run away instead of hiding again 

 when replaced on the ground. Those on the beach treated the 

 same way would invariably take to the water if not prevented. 

 Even the young upon which the pin feahers were barely show- 

 ing frequently took to the water and swam readily. In hiding, 

 the birds were content to emulate the Ostrich, hiding only the 

 head and often leaving the whole body exposed. They were 

 always careful, however, to keep the white underparts well 

 concealed. 



In two cases that were under careful observation for some 

 time both parents performed the office of incubation in regular 

 turn. The one that I judged to be the female brooded the eggs, 

 tucking them carefully under her feathers, but the male merely 

 stood above them, apparently shielding them from the burning 

 sun, while the female went for a lunch and bath. The incom- 

 ing bird uttered a peculiar rattling sound just before alighting- 

 some 20 feet from the nest, when the brooding bird got 

 up and immediately flew away. The relief carelessly sauntered 

 toward the nest, made believe picking up food when it reached 

 the nest, then stood over it a moment before settling down, if 

 the female. Neither bird remained on the nest over an hour, 

 the male usually less than forty minutes, not waiting for the 

 female to appear every time before leaving. 



It was interesting to watch the old birds come in with a fish 

 dangling from the beak. As it passed close along the beach each 

 young bird in turn clamored for the morsel. When the old bird 

 approached the place where its young had been last seen it 

 skimmed above the stones, halting now and then before a par- 

 ticularly vociferous youngster, then either passed on or circled 



