388 Least Tern 



while cruising with Stanley C. Arthur I found about one hundred 

 birds that had their nests on some small islands in Galcasieu Lake, Cam- 

 eron County, Louisiana. A few still persist along the outer islands oil 

 the coast of Texas, especially in the neighborhood of San Antonio Bay. 

 Some fairly healthy colonies exist on the coast of Southern California. 

 Outside of the United States the birds breed in limited numbers in the 

 Bahama Islands, West Indies, British Honduras and Venezuela. 



The nest of the Least Tern, like that of many other sea-birds, is of a 

 most primitive character. It consists usually of a slight hole in the sand 

 without any attempt at lining. Most authorities give the number of eggs 

 deposited as three or four. Of the hundreds of nests that the writer 

 has examined more contained two than four. 



When the Least Terns select as a breeding-place an island occupied 

 by other Terns their colony is always, as far as I have observed, situated 

 in an area quite to itself. In other words, Least Terns seldom if ever 

 lay their eggs in close proximity to nests of other birds. The eggs are 

 about an inch and a quarter long and nine-tenths of an inch wide. In 

 color they are brownish white spotted and dotted with chocolate. 



Of the notes of this bird Audubon wrote, "The common note of our 

 Least Tern resembles that of the Barn Swallow when uttered about its 

 nest, being as smartly and rapidly repeated at times." 



In common with the Black Tern, these exquisite little birds at times 

 feed to some extent on insects, but their food in the main appears to 



Eats Insects, consist of minnows and small shrimp. I have often 

 Minnows and watched them along our southern coast as in little 

 Shrimp companies they flit along over the creeks and wind for 



miles through the extensive salt marshes. They wander into the south- 

 ern bays and at times up the rivers, but along our Atlantic seaboard 

 appear never to breed except on outer sandy islands and spits. 



They begin their migration northward in April and by the middle 

 of May are usually well distributed throughout their summer home. 

 June and July are the months when the duties of rearing young go for- 

 ward. Apparently these birds do not rear two broods in a season, but if 

 the eggs or young are destroyed by high tides, fish crows, crabs, or other 

 causes a second laying shortly takes place. 



As the accompanying illustrations will show the general appearance 

 of the Least Tern suggests a white bird with a black cap. In reality the 

 wings, back and tail are of a pearlish gray and the under parts are 

 pure white. 



In length from bill tip to tail tip it is nine inches, or an inch shorter 

 than the average Robin. Its wing expanse, from tip to tip, is twenty 

 inches, or four inches more than the expanse of the Robin's wings. 



The Least Tern belongs to the Order of Longipcnnes, the long- 

 winged swimmers, and to the family Laridae. 



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