94 THE TERNS 



27th several very large flocks rose up in the air, until lost to sight. 

 They were going in a south-west direction when last seen. 1 



From August to October those Terns which have left their 

 breeding-places may be seen on many parts of our coast, and on 

 migration inland. They quit us gradually for their southern winter 

 quarters, some staying later than others, the former, presumably, being 

 those that are migrating from the more northerly breeding-stations, 

 British or other. Records are given in the " Classified Notes " of the 

 arrival of some of our common-terns off the coasts of Spain in 

 September. But many more such records are required in order to 

 render possible a comparative study of the emigration and winter 

 movements of those individuals of the two species that summer in the 

 British Isles. 



ROSEATE-TERN 

 [F. C. R. JOURDAIN] 



Numerically this species is much the rarest of our British breed- 

 ing Terns, and it is also far the most local. At the present time any 

 systematic study of its habits is attended with the greatest possible 

 difficulty, for it is only known to breed regularly at two localities in 

 our islands. One of these is by no means easy of access, and probably 

 contains not more than fifteen or twenty pairs, while the other and 

 much larger colony is carefully protected. Moreover, as will be seen 

 later, any attempt to watch this colony for any length of time would 

 probably result in serious injury to the breeding prospects. 



There are, however, various points around the coast where a few 

 pairs occasionally breed. Till recently a few pairs almost always 

 nested on the Fames, but they were never common there, and have 

 failed to hold their ground in spite of protection. What the exact 

 cause of their disappearance is it is at present impossible to say. 



1 Auk, 1896, xiii. 51. 



