Distribution o/ Sterna dougalli. 2^9 



again in September, not omitting the Persian Gulf — for the 

 bird may perhaps try the Euphrates Valley route, — we ought 

 before long to learn more about the somewhat mysterious 

 distribution of this species. Perhaps our northern birds may 

 go no further south than the basin of the Mediterranean in 

 winter. However, this penitential essay will serve to show 

 how little one who has devoted his principal attention for 

 five-and-twenty years to a group may know about some of 

 its component species ; while it may even stimulate some of 

 the members of the B. O. U. who go down to the sea in ships, 

 to lend their aid in taking away the reproach of our igno- 

 rance respecting the distribution of sea-birds. 



While this paper was passing through the press, I received 

 a letter from Mr. WhitaUer, dated Feb. 29th, and containing 

 the following interesting details : — 



" Knowing the interest you take in Terns, I wrote the 

 other day to Blanc, the naturalist in Tunis, asking if he 

 could tell me anything further about Sterna dougalli, and he 

 replied, confirming what he had previously told me of the 

 species being common in summer in the south of Tunis, 

 breeding plentifully on the islands there, and adds that he has 

 never met with it anywhere in the interior of the Regency. He 

 also gives me the following particulars regarding the breeding 

 of the Roseate Tern, as noticed by him in South Tunis : — 



" * Like other Terns,^ he says, ' S. dougalli generally nests, 

 in company with others of its species, on small islands and 

 not far from water; but, unlike most of the Tern family, 

 instead of leaving its nest exposed, it endeavours to hide it as 

 carefully as possible under any scrub-plants or long grass it 

 may find available, sometimes making a tunnel-like passage 

 or approach to the nest under the herbage. The nest 

 itself is merely a depression in the ground, sometimes bare, 

 at others thinly lined with grass-bents, in which (according 

 to Blanc) but one egg is deposited. The eggs somewhat 

 resemble those of the Common I'ern, but are slightly smaller. 

 In colour they are pale brown or yellowish- buff, with 

 darkish brown spots, which vary very much in shape, size 

 and distribution.^ 



