WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



hills. Their eggs, three in number, are laid in a small hole 

 scraped amongst the shingle, or on the bare sand. Gener- 

 ally,however,theychoose aplaceaboundinginsmall stones; 

 and their eggs being very nearly of the same colour as the 

 pebbles,it is very difficult todistinguish them.The nests be- 

 ing frequentlyat so considerable a distance from the water, 

 it has often been a matter of surprise to me how the young 

 birds can live till they have strength to journey to the sea- 

 shore. I never yet could find any of the newly-hatched terns 

 near the nests, and am of opinion that the old birds in some 

 way or other carry off their young, as soon as they are out 

 of the egg, to some place more congenial to so essentially 

 a water-bird than the arid ground on which they are hatch- 

 ed. During fine weather the terns never sit on their eggs 

 in the daytime, but, uttering unceasing cries, hover and fly 

 about over the spot where their nests are. All day long have 

 I seen them hoveringinthis manner, with a flight more like 

 that ofa butterfly than of a bird. If a man approaches their 

 eggs, they dash about his head with a loud angry clamour; 

 and all the other terns, who have eggs, for miles around, on 

 hearing the cry of alarm, fly to see what it is all about, and 

 having satisfied theircuriosity,returntothe neighbourhood 

 of their own domicile, ready to attack any intruder. If a 

 crow in search of eggs happens to wander near the terns' 

 building-places, she is immediately attacked by the whole 

 community, every bird joining in the chace, and striking 

 furiously at their common enemy, who is glad to make off 

 as quickly as she can. The terns.havingpursued her to some 

 distance, return seemingly well satisfied with their feat of 

 arms. I have also detected the fox by the rapid swoops of 



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