COMMON TERN. 283 



High in air the Terns of both species were coursing hither and thither, 

 looking exactly like a heavy snoAVstorm. The main colony was on a 

 bare patch of ground amongst the luxiiriant herbage. All the eggs I 

 obtained were laid in scanty nests — mere hollows, lined with a few bits of 

 half-dried grass and broken stalks of the sea-campion. During the whole 

 time of our stay the birds kept up an incessant chorus of cries, and did not 

 finally settle until our boat was some distance from the island again.^^ 



The Common Tern often lays its eggs within a few feet of the water, and 

 in many cases dispenses with a nest altogether. It generally establishes 

 its colony on a bare shingly portion of the beach, or amongst the scant 

 herbage on an ocean rock. 



The eggs of the Common Tern are two or three in number, never more. 

 They vary in ground-colour from pale greyish bufi" to brownish buff, occa- 

 sionally with a tinge of green. The overlying spots are dark brown, some- 

 times almost black, and the underlying spots are grey. The spots are 

 generally small, less than the size of a pea, and generally distributed 

 somewhat sparingly over the whole sui'face, but sometimes in a band, near 

 the large end of the egg. Occasionally a few of the spots are confluent 

 and form a large blotch, and in very rare instances streaks are to be 

 found. They vary in length from 1-8 to 1 "5 inch, and in breadth from 

 1-3 to 1*15 inch. They cannot with certainty be distinguished from eggs 

 of the Arctic Tern or Roseate Tern. 



The young are assiduously tended by their parents, being fed on very 

 small fish and crustaceans. Those breeding in inland districts often fly 

 long distances to salt water to obtain food for their young, passing to and 

 fro, carrying the small fish crosswise in their bills. Legge says that in 

 Ceylon, where this species winters, it frequents those parts of the coast 

 where enormous shoals of sardines abound, and that when tired of fishing- 

 it often rests on the beach. In autumn the Common Tern collects into 

 large flocks, one colony of birds apparently joining another, and the journey 

 south is performed leisurely, the flocks staying in suitable places where 

 food abounds. 



The Common Tern is rather larger than the Arctic Tern, and not so 

 large as the Gull-billed Tern, but the fork of the tail is much deeper than 

 in the latter species (varying from 2| to 1^ inch). In the general colour 

 of its plumage, and the changes which it undergoes, it very closely resembles 

 the Arctic Tern, but the underparts are generally sufi'used with pale French 

 grey. Bill orange -red, with a black tip ; legs and feet orange-red ; irides 

 hazel. In immature birds, and in adults in winter, the colour of the bill, 

 legs, and feet is paler. 



Young in down have the upper parts brownish buff" mottled with black, 

 and the underparts pure white, expect on the throat, which is dark brown. 



