FARNE ISLANDS AND THEIR BIRDS 177 



Many of the flying birds have small silvery fish in 

 their beaks. Among the crowd it is hard to watch 

 an individual bird as it goes to its nest, but by 

 exercising patience I was able to see a sandwich 

 tern feed a sitting mate. This bird flew over and 

 round about the nest, seeming as though he was 

 undecided which really was his mate. Then he 

 would settle near the nest, and the hen rose and 

 went towards him, when he seemed to be in a 

 playful mood, for he flew away again, still retaining 

 the fish, then twice more settled, until at last he gave 

 the hen the food, and flew off in search of more. It 

 was interesting to see them capture fish. Perhaps a 

 dozen or more would be beating a certain stretch of 

 water ; then if a fish was seen the nearest bird would 

 drop, and sometimes go almost completely under 

 water. If, as sometimes happened, a shoal of fish 

 came near the surface, hundreds of terns would con- 

 gregate overhead, and for a short time sport was 

 really exciting. 



As we leave the Noxes an oyster-catcher is seen 

 on the shore. His vermilion beak and pink legs 

 and well-marked body stand out well against the 

 dark, water-washed rocks, and form a striking con- 

 trast. There are several pairs on the Noxes, and 

 also on the Wideopens. On the latter we found a 

 nest among sea-campion, while on the former island 

 the eggs were laid on the bare shingle, or on sea- 

 M 



