Their Eggs and Nests, 187 



confounded with the Common Tern, but a cleai' specific 

 difference was pointed out by M. Temminck, and it is 

 now acknowledged that, in many of the more 

 northerly localities especially, it is a much more 

 numerous species than the Common Tern. It breeds 

 plentifully in Shetland, Orkney, and some parts of the 

 Hebrides, and in great numbers on Coquet Island and 

 one or more of the Fames. It lays two or three eggs, 

 which are exceedingly like those of the Common Tern, 

 and vary in the same proportion. Some have a 

 greenish shade, and others rather a pronounced buff, 

 spotted and blotched as in the case of those of the 

 last-named species. — Fig. 4, plate XL 



LESSER "IW^l^— {Sterna minuta). 



Lesser Sea Swallow, Little Tern. — A pretty — almost 

 a delicate — little bird, and not infrequent on such 

 parts of our coasts as are adapted to its habits. It 

 seems to prefer sand or shingle-banks or surfaces, and 

 lays its two or three eggs in any small cavity which 

 it may be lucky enough to find in the selected place. 

 It is perfectly surprising in many cases how closely 

 the eggs laid resemble the stones and gravel among 

 which they are laid. They are palish stone-colour, 

 speckled and spotted with ash-grey and dark brown. 

 — Fig. 5, plate XL 



SOOTY "VY.^!^— {Sterna fiiligijiosa). 

 It has been met with two or three times. 



