THE WHITE-WINGED FLEET 



but within a hundred feet or so of these we began 

 to see eggs. The birds kept up their clamor all 

 the time, and hundreds were ever in the air; but 

 when we came from the buildings and began to 

 invade the territory which they regarded as their 

 own, practically the whole colony rose and hovered 

 about, redoubling their vociferations. Now and 

 then one would swoop close to our heads, evidently 

 the owner of the eggs over which we were stepping. 

 And so it is at all Tern colonies. It is bewildering, 

 and always fascinating. No matter how many colo- 

 nies I have visited, I am always ready to see another. 

 The whole surroundings, of birds, and rock or sand 

 and ocean impresses one with the vitality of unal- 

 loyed Nature, a scene of abounding, exuberant life. 

 How eagerly the faithful custodians of the 

 lights on these lonely isolated spots look forward to 

 the return of the birds, we may readily imagine. 

 Were there no other calendar, the Terns could 

 quite accurately supply one. They are very regular 

 in their coming. At the time of my last visit the 

 keeper told me they arrived in a large body that 

 year on May 14, and laid the first eggs on the 28th. 

 The season preceding, their date of arrival was May 

 17, and from these dates, I am told, there is little 

 variation. He did not have the exact dates of de- 

 parture, but from my observation with other colo- 

 nies I should say it was not later than early Septem- 

 ber. As soon as the young are on the wing, they 

 begin to scatter, and when the tardier ones can fly, 

 they are soon gone. In one colony I found a few 

 young on the rocks the first of September. But 

 before that month has sped most of the Terns have 



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