STEENA. 297 



Sterna tergii, Licht. The Large Crested Tern. 



Thalasseus cristatus (Steph.*), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 842. 

 Sterna bergii, Licht., Hume, Rouyh Draft N. $ E. no. 989. 



In regard to the present species, Sterna beryii, I note that we saw 

 an enormous flock of it at Pere-Mull-Par, in the Laccadive Islands, 

 a small flock at Cherbaniaui reef, and a single specimen near 

 Bingaroo in the Ancuttee tala. At Pere-Mull it very probably 

 breeds, but the only breeding-place of this species within our 

 limits of which I yet know for certain, is the rocky island of 

 Astolah, which lies off the Mekran coast opposite Jask, a short 

 distance beyond the boundary of Sind. On this island this species 

 breeds in vast numbers in the early part of the monsoons. A 

 boat sent to this island for me by Captain Wise on the 1st June, 

 brought back no less than 3000 eggs of this species, and the men 

 said that they had not half robbed the rocks. 



Colonel Butler, who visited the breeding-place of this Tern on 

 Astolah Island, writes : " On the 29th May, 1877, I landed at As- 

 tolah, an island on the Mekran coast, which I have previously 

 described, about 24 miles S.AV". of Pusnee. On reaching the 

 summit, 1 found the plateau covered from one end of the island 

 to the other with Lams hemprichi, which were evidently col- 

 lected there for breeding-purposes ; but there were no eggs on that 

 date, although what appeared to be nest-holes were scratched in 

 every direction. These, however, may only have been dusting-holes 

 such as hens scratch, for I noticed the birds dustiny their feathers 

 as they sat and grovelled in the holes. 



" Several groups of the large Sea-Tern had just commenced to lay, 

 and I succeeded in taking 93 eggs, all perfectly fresh. The birds 

 make no nest, neither do they even scratch a nest-hole. The eggs 

 (at that time only one in each nest, or rather to each pair of birds, 

 for as I have said before there is no nest) are laid on the bare 

 ground in the most open and exposed parts of the island about one 

 foot apart, and when sitting the birds seem packed together as 

 close as possible, without perhaps actually touching each other. 

 There is no difficulty in discovering the eggs, as the birds, often as 

 many as two hundred or more in a group, sit close, with quantities 

 of stragglers, probably the cock birds, flying backwards and for- 

 wards a few yards above them, the whole keeping up a tremendous 

 clamouring, and wiien approached they rise reluctantly off their 

 eggs screaming and chattering loudly. I did not see the first group 

 rise myself, and as there were hundreds of Gulls (L. hemprichi) 

 mixed with them when I approached the eggs, I thought it best to 

 sit down a few yards off and watch the birds return to their eggs. 

 Xo sooner had I done so, than both species began to descend in 

 dozens on to the spot where the eggs (about 30) were lying. In a 

 moment a general fight commenced, and it was at once evident that 

 the eggs belonged to Sterna bergii, and that the Gulls were 

 carrying them off, and swallowing their contents as fast as they 

 could devour them. So I jumped up and ran forward yelling like 

 mad, and on reaching the spot found that even in that short time 



