TERNS AND SKIMMERS 



265 



Fig. 48 



Past breeding places of the 



black tern, Chlidonias nigra, 



in Britain 



IE LONG. 



I Solway Flow, ? 1855. 2 Streams near Driffield, 'not for some years' by 1844. 

 3 Crowland Wash, 1832. 4 Whittlesey Mere, 1843, ? 1844. 5 Poppylotts, Southery, 

 early XIX century. 6 Fentwell, 1853 (flood). 7 Brandon, ? early XIX C. 8 Sutton 

 1858. 9 Horsey-Winterton, 1816, 1818, extinct before 1838. 10 Upton, 1818. 



II Oulton Broad, ? 1875. 12 Mildenhall, Pearly XIX C. 13 Bottisham, 1824. 

 14 Ot Moor, ? c. 1857. 15 Romney Marsh c. 1787, 1824, c. 1884. 16 Pett Level, 



1 94 1, 1942, failed 1943 



The relations between the fledged chick and its parents seem not 

 to have been studied adequately. According to Palmer (1941) the 

 chick remains attached to its parents and is fed by them at the start 

 of the southward migration, which begins in August. The Marples 

 remark that the "young ones which have been hatched early, set off 

 with their parents for their winter quarters as soon as they can fly 

 properly." According to the Marples the first autumn migration begins 

 at the end of June in the British Isles, only a month after late-arriving 

 adults ( birds born in the previous year ? ) appear in the colony — 

 birds which may or may not have time to breed. In a successful sum- 

 mer terneries may be quite deserted by the beginning of August in 

 temperate latitudes. In the far north arctic terns do not arrive until 

 mid-June, and they leave before the end of August. 



Ringing has shown that some young terns will return to nests in 



