PLATE I 

 ROSEATE TERN. Sterna dougalli 



June io//f, 1893. This nest was one of three identified on Staples Island, 

 at the Fames. I distinctly made out the cry of these birds among the 

 thousands of screaming Common Terns all round, and with the aid of my 

 J.t -M-> succeeded \\\ n .u : jii\ locating tiu-ir nesting-place, I then ambuscaded 

 myself near the place, and after a long and patient wait was at length able to 

 watch the three birds to their nests. 



The Roseate Terns were very shy, and though all the Common Terns had 

 been sitting for some time on their eggs, none of the Roseates would go near 

 t/teir nests, but flew backwards and forwards calling to each other, now and 

 then hovering in the air with their long, forked tails pointing downwards. 

 I saw only four birds, and three of these had nests ; so I came to the conclusion 

 that there were three pairs, and that the other two males must be away some- 

 where feeding. 



After a long, weary watch, one of the birds hovered in the air, then 

 dropped a few feet, hovered again, and so on till it alighted at its nest. The 

 other two soon followed suit, while the fourth flew out to sea and disappeared. 

 I gave them a few minutes' grace, and then stood up, keeping my eye on 

 them ; they were the first to rise. I walked quickly up to the spot, and found 

 the three nests quite close together on a sloping, lichen-covered rock ; the nearest 

 Common Tern's nest was some ten feet away. None of the Roseate Terns 

 had made any nest; the eggs were simply laid on the little plants of sea-pink 

 which grew out of the crevices in the rock. Two of the nests contained two 

 eggs each, and the third three. 



There is apparently very little difference between the habits of this species 

 and those of the Common and Arctic Terns at the nest. The flight of the 

 Roseate Tern is rather more jerky, and it is slightly quicker in the movement 

 of its wings, which are shorter than those of the other two species. 



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