The Common Tern 



at a nest is made, though this species almost invariably 

 gathers a few bents together. The eggs are usually three in 

 number, often only two, and are very variable in colour, 

 being as a rule greenish or stone buff, with brown and grey 

 spots and markings. 



The note is a sharp " kik-kik," but during the nesting 

 season they utter a loud "ee-arre," which is rather 

 characteristic of this species. 



The young are covered with pale brown down mottled 

 with black, and leave the nest as soon as they are hatched, 

 but they remain near the spot until they are fully fledged 

 and well able to fly, as they are during that period entirely 

 dependent on their parents for food. 



Soon after the young can fly, old and young gradually 

 disperse along the coast, slowly working southwards till by 

 the beginning of October the last straggler has left for its 

 winter quarters in Africa. 



In summer the adult has the crown of the head and 

 nape black, the rest of the back pearl-grey ; rump white ; tail 

 feathers white with greyish outer webs. Under parts white 

 tinged with grey. Bill orange red with horn-coloured tip ; 

 legs coral red. The sexes are alike. In winter the fore- 

 head is sprinkled with white and the under parts nearly 

 pure white. The young in its first plumage has the head 

 white ; spotted with blackish brown, the feathers of the back 

 pale pearl-grey barred with buff or brown and tipped with 

 white ; by late autumn, however, the back is pure grey with 

 the exception of a dark band along the carpal joint. Bill 

 and legs yellowish. , Length 14'25 in.; bill 1'7 in.; tail 6*5 

 in. ; wing 10*5 in. 



355 



