MIDDLE OF MAY 57 
melancholy cry, told us at once it was the 
large sea swallow, known also as the greater 
tern. We thought it was the male watching 
and wheeling near its nest or young close 
by but these we failed to find. he birds 
lay early in the year, and we were somewhat 
late; the nest, moreover, is a mere hollow 
in the sand, and the young would have been 
hatched by this time, and either flown or in 
good hiding with the mother somewhere 
there. ‘Perhaps next season the pair may 
come again, and may we have better luck 
Bexpetume, Said led. - I echoed these: sage 
words, especially as I had learned that a 
pair of lesser grebes had been seen there, 
and probably had nested too. We had also 
noticed sanderlings skipping and taking their 
short flights amongst the stones that lay 
upon the sand, and these birds, too, are not 
behind in their lovemaking when St. Valen- 
tine’s day comes round. 
We left this quiet scene, and paddled 
leisurely to our isle of pleasant memory, 
that we had visited a few days past, to see 
