20 Brewster on Terns of tJie New England Coast. 



quite as many eggs were obtained by them in August as in June. 

 It is doubtful if one pair in a hundred succeeded in raising offspring 

 that year. Under such conditions the result is inevitable. If 

 prompt legislation be not brought to bear on the matter, the time 

 is near at hand when the waters of the Vineyard Sound will no 

 longer be enlivened by these innocent birds. The inconsiderable 

 destruction of small fishes, a reason that has been given for with- 

 holding protection, is of little moment, and those barren sandy shores 

 can ill afford to lose the presence of the graceful Sea-swallow. 



Of the eggs of the three species of Terns which breed upon Muske- 

 gat, little need be said save that they vary to an almost endless 

 degree, and cannot specifically be distinguished. The Wilson's and 

 Roseate Terns usually build nests, some of which are quite bulky, 

 with a lining of dry grasses, upon a foundation of coarse twigs or 

 sea-weed. In many cases, however, the eggs were simply laid in a 

 slight depression in the sand. We fancied that the Roseate Terns 

 built more substantial domiciles than the other species, but the 

 difficulty of satisfactorily identifying any considerable number of 

 nests rendered a positive conclusion hopeless. The Arctic Terns, 

 as before stated, bred apart from the others, and laid their eggs 

 upon the bare sand. 



The notes of the Wilson's and Arctic Terns vary, if at all, only 

 slightly in modulation. The ordinary cry of anger or protest is a 

 harsh vibrating te-ar-r-r, that of contentment or recognition a soft 

 chick. They utter various other sounds, all more or less discordant. 

 The usual note of the Roseate Tern is a soft mellow heiv-it, repeated 

 at frequent intervals. It has, in addition, when excited or angry, a 

 cry which can be closely imitated by forcibly tearing a strong piece 

 of cotton cloth. 



One who has never held in his hand a freshly killed Tern can 

 scarcely imagine its wonderful beauty. The delicate faultless out- 

 lines ; the long, slender, graceful wings ; the pearly blue-gray back ; 

 the soft tinting beneath, set off by the bright coral red of the feet 

 and bill, all go to make up a whole that must satisfy the most 

 aesthetic eye. The delicate blush that suffuses the breast of the 

 Roseate Tern can only be seen in its perfection for a brief period 

 after death, for either it fades altogether, or turns to a dull salmon 

 tint before the bird becomes cold. Like an ethereal grace, it shrinks 

 and perishes before the gaze of vulgar eyes. 



When the cares of incubation are over, — and sad, unprofitable 



