ARCTIC TEPtN 269 



ARCTIC TERN. 



Sterna macrura. 



The Arctic Tern is frequently seen in company with the 

 Sea-Swallow. On the 18tli, 19th, and 20th of May, 1842, a 

 continuous stream of small flocks of the former species passed 

 all along the coast of Sussex. There must have been several 

 thousands of them, and many hundreds were wantonly shot 

 from the beach, especially at Brighton. I w^ell remember 

 hearing of numbers having appeared on the Cam from Cam- 

 bridge to Ely. In fact, this extraordinary visitation appears 

 to have been general. In the Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (pp. 

 352, 353) it is stated by Mr. H. E. Strickland that these 

 birds were abundant at Clevedon, Weston, and Bristol, at 

 which last place more tlian two hundred were killed ; also 

 that on the 8th and 9th of May one bird-stufter at Evesham 

 received no less than forty specimens, and that considerable 

 numbers were obtained at Tewkesbury, Worcester, Hereford, 

 Devizes, and Trowbridge ; and that he was informed that 

 seven hundred were seen at Crofton Hall, near Bromsgrove. 

 Numbers also appeared at Swansea, Monmouth, and Bridg- 

 water, as well as in Dorsetshire and Cornwall, 



In October 1813 several adult birds and a young one 

 were shot near Shoreham. Mr. Jeffery (p. n.) remarks 

 that a large flight of Arctic, Common, and Lesser Terns 

 were seen swimming in Pagham Harbour on October 11, 

 1865. 



Mr. Knox states that the Arctic Tern is more numerous in 

 May and June on the shingle at Pevensey than the Common 

 Tern. Mr. J. H. Gurney states, on the authority of 



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