THE EGG BIRDS 



Throughout the Bahamas the name ' ' Egg-bird ' ' is ap- 

 plied to the Sooty, Bridled, and Noddy Terns. The latter 

 part of April these birds come in large numbers to certain 

 regularly frequented keys to breed. If their resort be near 

 a settlement they are robbed of their eggs by its inhabitants. 

 In Nassau, I have seen many of them offered for sale on the 

 street, each one with the shell punctured as a guarantee 

 that one was not buying a Tern. If they are remote from 

 human habitation, they are generally preyed upon by the 

 cruising spongers to whose scanty bill-of-fare fresh eggs are 

 an eagerly sought addition. Doubtless there are but few col- 

 onies of Terns in the Bahamas that do not contribute to the 

 food supply of the usually hungry native, hence the current 

 name Egg-bird. Efforts to secure the passage of a law pro- 

 hibiting the taking of the eggs of these birds has failed, and, 

 sentiment aside, provided they are permitted to breed and 

 their numbers therefore not decreased, there seems to be no 

 reason why in a country of such limited food products, this 

 source of supply should not be drawn upon. 



On May 11, 1902, when the "Estrella" dropped anchor 

 off the Washerwoman Keys, we found that the Egg-birds 

 had evidently been in possession for more than a week, since 

 all three species were incubating their eggs. 



After a wide experience in colonies of Common Terns, 

 where every bird is up in the air screaming a harsh protest 

 before you put foot on the island, it was pleasant to be met 

 at our landing-place by groups of Noddies which, with no 

 trace of the nervousness so characteristic of our northern 

 Terns, regarded us calmly almost at arm's length. When 

 they did fly they were comparatively silent uttering infre- 

 quently a low reedy cack, cack, which at times increased to 

 a rolling, guttural k-r-r-r-r. 



