48 BRITISH “SEA BIRDS: 
every now and then dart downwards like a stone into 
the water and capture a fish, fluttering up again, or 
remaining for a moment to swallow their capture. 
A flock of Terns (of any species) fishing is one of 
the prettiest sights imaginable. In addition to 
small fish the Sandwich Tern devours crustaceans 
of various kinds, whilst its young are fed largely 
upon sand-lice and beetles. The Terns are much 
cleaner feeders than the Gulls, and I have never 
known them touch carrion or refuse. I have, 
however, seen them pounce down upon scraps of 
food thrown from a vessel. The usual call-note 
of the Sandwich Tern is a somewhat shrill 
scream. 
This Tern probably pairs for life, and returns 
regularly every season to its old-accustomed haunts 
to breed. These are by preference low, rocky, or 
sandy islands, covered with marine herbage, varied 
with barer patches, and with beaches of rough 
shingle. Similar conditions are sought on the 
mainland, in a secluded spot on the coast, but an 
island is always preferred. The Sandwich Tern is 
gregarious, but its colonies, with one exception, in 
our islands are nowhere very extensive. This one 
exception is at the Farne Islands, where it has been 
computed the birds number upwards of a thousand 
pairs. As the nesting-places are visited very 
regularly year by year this Tern probably pairs for 
life. I have noticed, however, that the birds shift 
their actual breeding ground from time to time, 
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