290 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Irides dusky. Forehead white, crown and nape 

 deep black. Back and wings French grey, the 

 first two wing-quills being a trifle darker ; the wings 

 are long and narrow. Upper tail-coverts and tail, 

 which is much forked, white. Chin, throat, sides 

 of neck, breast, belly, and vent, clean glossy white. 

 Legs, toes, and membranes orange. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground, on 

 sandy, flat coasts interspersed with banks of shells, 

 gravel, and shingle. Some authorities assert that 

 the bird scrapes a slight hollow for the reception of 

 its eggs, whilst others deny this. Small colonies 

 are still said to breed on the Kentish side of the 

 mouth of the Thames ; also on the coasts of 

 Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, 

 Cumberland, and Lancashire, and in suitable places 

 round the Welsh, Scottish, and Irish coasts. It 

 also breeds in a few suitable inland places, but is 

 decreasing in numbers. 



Materials. None, the eggs harmonising well with 

 their surroundings. 



Eggs. Two to four, generally two or three, 

 varying in ground colour from stone yellow to pale 

 brown, spotted, speckled, and blotched with grey 

 and dark chestnut-brown. Size about 1/25 by -95 in. 

 Distinguished by smaller size of eggs and also of 

 parent birds. 



Time. June. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in May and depart- 

 ing in September or early October. Note, a sharp 

 pirre. Local and other names : Lesser Sea Swallow, 

 Lesser Tern. Gregarious. When a colony is visited 

 the birds fly boldly round, uttering their sharp cry, 

 and settle quite close to the intruder. 



