288 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



islands and quiet stretches of shingly beach round 

 the coasts of the British Isles. Less numerous 

 round the northern and western coasts and islands 

 of Scotland than the Arctic Tern, hut more numerous 

 011 the southern and western coasts of England. 



Materials. Dry grass, used as a lining to the 

 slight declivity made or chosen. When the eggs 

 are laid on bare rocks, sometimes a slight kind of 

 mat of grass is made. Often there is no kind of 

 material whatever, even when the eggs are laid 

 in this situation. Our illustration is from a photo- 

 graph taken on the Fame Islands. 



Eggs. Two to three. Ground colour light 

 stone or buff to olive or umber brown, with ash-grey 

 and light and dark brown spots. Subject to great 

 variation. Size about 1'7 by 1/15 in. A trifle larger 

 than those of the Arctic Tern, less boldly marked 

 and lacking green tinge. 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in May and depart- 

 ing in August, September, and October. Note, a 

 sharp, angry pirre. Local names : Sea Swallow, 

 Tarney or Pictarney, Tarrack, Tarret, Eittock, 

 Eippock, Sporre, Scraye, Pirr, Gull Teaser. Gre- 

 garious ; sits lightly, and flies overhead when dis- 

 turbed, uttering its sharp cry. 



TERN, LESSER. See TEEN, LITTLE. 



TERN, LITTLE. See LESSEE TEEN. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length between 

 eight and nine inches. Bill fairly long, straight, and 

 orange-coloured, except at the tip, which is black. 



