0)1 Sea and Shore. 



221 



shires. The Kittiwake also breeds in numbers at 

 the Fames, but we will reserve our notice of it for 

 a later chapter. 



Next to the Lesser Black-backed Gull the Terns 

 are certainly the most numerous and most interesting 

 birds. Three out of the five British species return 

 each spring to these famous islands to breed. The 

 Roseate Tern, rarest of all the indigenous species, 

 used formerly to breed here, but it eventually be- 

 came extinct, although from time to time an odd 

 pair or so are observed in their old-time haunts, so 

 that the bird may re-establish itself in them, more 

 especially as the sea-birds are now so strictly pre- 

 served there. The three regular breeding species 

 are the Sandwich Tern, the Common Tern, and the 

 Arctic Tern. All are summer migrants only to the 

 British Islands. The Sandwich Tern, by far the 

 largest of the three species, arrives at the islands 

 during the last half of April, as a rule, but some 

 seasons is not seen until the beginning of May. 

 There is much in their early movements that re- 

 minds us of the actions of Rooks just pre\ious to 

 nesting. Every morning for perhaps a month after 

 their arrival they assemble at the islands and stay 

 for a short time, previous to dispersing over the 

 surrounding sea to search for food, lingering longer 

 and longer as the actual breeding time approaches, 

 until they finally decide upon a spot to nest, and 



