ARCTIC TERN. 137 



ARCTIC TERN. 



PLATE CCXVI. - FIGURES I, II. 



Sterna arctica, FLEMING. SELBY. JENYNS. 



Sterna arctica, EYTON. GOULD. 



rriHIS Tern contents itself with a slight hollow 

 scratched out either in the bare sand or grass, 

 a little of the latter forming a lining, by the sea-shore, 

 the borders of islets, or the mouths of rivers. Great 

 numbers build together, and the nests are so closely 

 contiguous that it is hardly possible to avoid walking 

 upon them. 



The eggs are two or three in number, rarely four; 

 they are subject to almost endless variety, the ground 

 colour being variously white, green, dull green, brown, 

 pale blue, and pale yellow, spotted with grey and dark 

 reddish-brown. They are usually laid the beginning 

 of June. The period of incubation is about fifteen or 

 sixteen days. 



VOL. III. 



