LARID.^— TERNS. 259 



over the water near Languard Fort. It would appear that these birds do not 

 (all at least) leave this coast in the winter. I remember being the companion of 

 Henry Doubleday when he shot some near Walton-on-the-Naze, in December, 

 many years ago." 



Dr. Laver describes it as common in the Colchester and Paglesham districts, 

 though he never knew it to breed in either. The Rev. J.C.Atkinson writes me that 

 in his boyhood, some sixty years ago, it nested not uncommonly on the Wig- 

 borough and Peldon Saltings. He has found its nest on Shingle Hill, and has 

 seen it on the Goldhanger Marshes, and elsewhere, in later years, during the 

 breeding season. 



Roseate Tern : Sterna dougalli. 



An uncommon summer visitor to Britain. Its breeding-distri- 

 bution is very local. I only know of a single record of its occurrence 

 in the county, though it has doubtless been overlooked on other 

 occasions. 



Mr. Owen Boyle saw one at Languard Point, at 4.45 a.m., on June 1st, 1883 

 (42. V.3. 



Little Tern : Sterna minuta. Locally, " Little Sea Swallow." 

 A summer migrant which used to breed commonly on the Essex 



coast, though I only know of a single breeding colony at the present 



time. 



One was shot 



at Maldon in or _ zp'j^ '-'' -■■-■ - ^^^'-.- ■ - . 



about 1838. (C. ^^-!=^;--&s«*&v, 



Walford— 19. 47). _^.,4gS- 



Mr. Clarke speaks ^^^"^^ - 



■of it (24) as "com- -^j 



mon on the Essex r^^- / ^ 



■coast" about 1845. ^jt, ' ^ 



Mr. Bond met tW^ 



with it commonly ^^S?- 



at Southend early yffiT' 



in Sept., 1842 (23. ^--Ai 



39). Mr. A. H. "" 



Smee (34 1921) -J-- 



shot an adult and 



three immature 



birds at Leigh on 



Sept. 18th, 1869. 



Mr. Kerry says 



(40. i. 52)jhat in LITTLE TERN, /s. 



1876 a considerable number bred on Languard Fort Common, and at Harwich he 

 describes it as " very common." He adds that 



"it breeds every summer in great numbers among the shingle on the sea-shore 

 between Harwich and Walton-on-the-Naze, They now chiefly nest on the Harwich 

 side of the Handford Water, probably on account of the persecution to which 

 they are subjected by the visitors from Walton, who kill a great many dur- 

 ing the nesting season, notwithstanding the provisions of the Wild Birds Protec- 

 tion Act." 



S 2 



