SANDWICH TERN 



PLATE CCXIII. FIGURE I. 



Sterna cantiaca, .... GMELIN. 



Sterna boysii, .... FLEMING. SELBY. 



THESE birds live together in large colonies, hundreds, 

 and even thousands of pairs crowding together in the 

 same places, the eggs in consequence being so close together 

 that it is difficult to avoid treading on them. The situation 

 chosen is a sandy place, covered at the most with short 

 and bare vegetation. If the nesting-place is approached, 

 the birds fly about in a cloud. They are late in breeding, 

 seldom commencing till the month of June ; the nests are 

 frequently mere holes in the sand. 



The eggs are usually two, rarely three in number. 

 Meyer says : " The bird sits on them during the whole 

 night, but only occasionally during the day, and, as in the 

 preceding species, some few birds remain about the breeding- 

 places, to keep watch during the absence of the rest. It has 

 been asserted that these birds, although laying two or three 

 eggs only for a brood, will, when the eggs are taken out of 

 the nest daily, continue laying for a fortnight." The eggs 

 vary exceedingly, and are extremely beautiful. They are 



