GULLS AND TERNS. 47 
hope of return. The most important breeding- 
place of this Tern, and certainly the most accessible 
to the majority of observers, is situated on the 
famous Farne Islands; even here the bird is much 
less common than it used to be. There are small 
colonies on Walney Island, in Cumberland, in 
the Solway district, on Loch Lomond, in the 
Pits) of Tay,;'and' on the coast of’ Elgin))))Its 
only known breeding-station in Ireland is in Co. 
Mayo. 
The Sandwich Tern reaches the British coasts 
in April or early in May. But little is seen of this 
species whilst on passage, for it evidently keeps 
some distance from shore as a rule, or passes 
quickly and unobserved. The smaller Terns, for 
instance, are commonly seen on the coast of South 
Devonshire in Spring and Autumn, but I cannot 
recall a single strong migration of the present 
species in that locality. This Tern is seldom or 
never seen at any distance from the sea. Most of 
its waking time is spent in the air, flying about 
with easy, graceful motion, in quest of its finny 
prey. The Sandwich Tern, however, is nothing 
near so graceful looking on the wing as its smaller 
relatives, the heavier body, broader wings, and 
much less acutely forked tail giving it a heavier, 
more cumbersome appearance. Most of its food is 
obtained whilst it hovers above the sea. The way 
in which all the Terns feed is very pretty. They 
poise and hover above their finny victims, and 
