290 BRITISH BIBBS' XESTS'. 



Irides dusky. Forehead white, crown and nape 

 deep black. Back and wings French grey, the 

 first tw^o wing-quills being a trifle darker ; the wings 

 are long and narrow. Upper tail-coverts and tail, 

 which is much forked, white. Chin, throat, sides 

 of neck, breast, belly, and vent, clean glossy white. 

 Legs, toes, and membranes orange. 



Situation and Localitij. — On the ground, on 

 sandy, flat coasts interspersed with banks of shells, 

 gravel, and shingle. Some authorities assert that 

 the bird scrapes a slight hollow for the reception of 

 its eggs, whilst others deny this. Small colonies 

 are still said to breed on the Kentish side of the 

 mouth of the Thames ; also on the coasts of 

 Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, 

 Cumberland, and Lancashire, and in suitable places 

 round the Welsh, Scottish, and Irish coasts. It 

 also breeds in a few suitable inland places, but is 

 decreasing in numbers. 



Materials. — None, the eggs harmonising well with 

 their surroundings. 



Eggs. — Two to four, generally two or three, 

 varying in ground colour from stone yellow to pale 

 brown, spotted, speckled, and blotched wdth grey 

 and dark chestnut-brown. Size about 1*25 by '95 in. 

 Distinguished by smaller size of eggs and also of 

 parent birds. 



Time. — June. 



Bemarls. — Migratory, arriving in May and depart- 

 ing in September or early October. Note, a sharp 

 jnrre. Local and otlier names : Lesser Sea Swallow, 

 Lesser Tern. Gregarious. Wlien a colony is visited 

 the birds fly boldly round, uttering their sharp cry, 

 and settle quite close to tlie intruder. 



