Anglesey 



finely pointed wings flickering as if too frail for 

 the battle of wind and wave ; but in a moment 

 they were folded back, and like a compact dart the 

 small form shot, head lowermost, into the sea. A 

 few moments later it emerged with a little silvery 

 fish in its bill. This did not prevent the bird's 

 scream of invitation to its mate, and the latter rose 

 from the shingle and went out to meet him. But 

 thus to give up the fish would be too plain a fashion 

 for this delicate wooer. He avoids her, and there 

 is a mingling of wings as of two white butterflies 

 which toy in the sun. The lady screams so to be 

 put off, and her lord screams too, but leads her 

 gradually round to the shingle. When they alight, 

 she makes a sudden snatch at the tardy love-tribute, 

 but the male flutters aside, and pursues his tantaliz- 

 ing performance. With wings drooping at his sides, 

 and tail cocked up, he goes through his love-dance 

 with all the coxcombry of the male in love. In the 

 mean while, the female stands by, apparently eaten 

 up with impatience and mortification. Now she is 

 silent and sullen ; then she opens her wings, and 

 shuts them, as it were, with a vicious snap. But in 

 the end her moment of triumph comes, and with a 

 scream she darts at the male, tears the fish from his 

 bill, and, as like as not, turns her back upon him 

 while she swallows it. We found several ringed 

 plovers' nests in the shingle of this bay, but would 

 gladly have missed them for a sight of the lesser 

 tern's. After all, this bird is social, and breeds in 



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