BRIDLED TERN. d?, 



During my cruise among the smaller, out lynig ke_)s of the Bahama Lshuuls, in 

 company with Mrs. Maynaixl, we first met with the Sooty Terns on Washerwoman Ke\s, 

 off the southern end of Andros, and on the eighth of May, found them lu'eediii"-. The 

 eggs heie were fresli, hut later in the season, we foimd them on the Sliip Channel Keys, 

 June eiiihth and ninth, wdien incubation was considerably advan(;ed, in fact, many were 

 on the point ofhatching, and in all cases, the number de])osited was one. Tlie nests were 

 placed on the ground, often l)enealh hushes or cacti, but in some instance^, on the nak- 

 ed rock. The material used in constructing the nests consisted of diied sea weeds and 

 loose debris picked up by the birds on the keys. The amount used was variable, some- 

 times quite an elaborate domicile lieing made, but at other times, only a few sticks inter- 

 posed between the eggs and the ground, while occasionally, the eggs lay upon the bare 

 rock. 



The ordinary notes of the Sooty Tern are extremely harsli, sounding like "Quank, 

 <]uank," but when disturbed on their breeding grounds, they utter a^ double note like 

 ■"Qu-ank. " They al.-^), at such ti'mes, emit a snarling sound, wlien all the Terns on the 

 key will dive downward, and darting outward, lly over the surf ice of the water a short 

 distance, scattering in every direction, but will innnediately return, and gathering over 

 the intruder, connnence their noisy cries, continuing until another one of them chances 

 to give tins peculiar sound, when off they will go again, repeating the maneuver over and 

 over again, as long as the object of tlieir aversion remains on the key. 



They are \ery Ijold in defending their nests, especially when the eggs contain em- 

 bryos, and at such times, the occupants, whether male or female, will raise their wings 

 when approached, open their beak, and strike at the ventin-esome hand that is endeav- 

 oring to rob them of their treasure. Of course they are then easily captured, when they 

 will fight bravely for freedom. 



We first met with the Bi-idled Terns on April 22d, on a small key that lies just out- 

 side of Middle Bight, Andros. Here was a small colony consisting of a half dozen pairs 

 that exhibited considerable solicitude when we approached the northern portion of the 

 island. None of the birds were breeding here, although they were evidently preparing 

 to do so, as they were sitting about on the loose rocks and showed great reluctance at be- 

 ing forced to leave. 



On May 6th, on middle Grassy Key. we found a large cohmy that was on tlie i)oint 

 ofnesting; indeed the nests, or rather what answers for sucli, a mere hole scratched in 

 the scanty soil, were already prepared beneath the rocks that liiicd the portion of the 

 key which lay along the deep water of the Tongue of Ocean to the eastward. J>iit it was 

 not imtil we had proceeded some fifty miles to the southward, to the extreme southern- 

 most of the Washerwoman Ke^s, a little rocky islet, containing only a few acres of land, 

 that I found the first egg of the Bridled Tern. This was on May '.Uh, and it was placed 

 beneath a large boulder, so far under, in fact, that it was with dithculty that I reaclieil 

 it. Later that day, we came to a large colony of Bridled Terns that was nesting on 

 another of the Waslierwomen, and secured several eggs. All of these eggs were fresli, 

 and all were placed beneath rocks. Later in the month, we found eggs of this species in 

 an advanced state of incubation, on the Ship Channel Keys. Li all cases, the egg was 



