WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA 33 



the small redshank and ringed dotterel, are protected 

 as much as they can be in a place where every one has 

 a gun and wants to get something for the pot. In 

 summer the common and lesser tern have their breed- 

 ing place on the sand-hills, and a watcher is placed 

 there to prevent them from being disturbed and 

 harried by trippers and egg-stealing collectors. One 

 curious result of the protection given to the terns was 

 that two or three years ago two pairs of black-headed 

 gulls started breeding close to them. It was as if 

 these gulls had observed what was being done and 

 had said to one another : " This is not a suitable breed- 

 ing-place for gulls, though a proper one for terns 

 who prefer sand and shingle ; but what an advantage 

 to have a man stationed there to protect the nests 

 from being harried ! Come, let us make our nests 

 here, just on the border of the terns' gullery, on the 

 chance of our eggs coming in for protection too." 

 The experiment turned out well, and last summer 

 no fewer than sixteen pairs nested and brought off 

 their young at that spot. 



