236 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES 



water plants and grass compose the food of the 

 adult birds. 



No less than four species of Terns breed upon 

 the sandy coasts or the stretches of shingle on 

 the rocky islands. Of these the smallest is the 

 widely but LESSER TERN (Sterna minuta). This beautiful 

 SibS little bird is nowhere very common, and I regret 

 to say is fast becoming rarer. This is probably 

 because it elects to breed on the mainland rather 

 than on islands, where it is at the mercy of every 

 wandering excursionist. It is among the latest 

 of our migrants, seldom appearing at its breeding- 

 stations before the second week in May. It 

 spends most of its waking hours upon the wing, 

 hawking up and down the shore and over the sea 

 in slow, uncertain flight, dropping every now and 

 then into the water to catch a small fish. Some- 

 times it may be seen walking about the sand and 

 shingle close to the edge of the waves, searching 

 for sand-lice, crustaceans, and insects. About a 

 month after its arrival nesting duties are com- 

 menced. Its favourite breeding-places are on the 

 stretches of shingle rather than the sands. Here, 

 among the pebbles, broken shells, and drifted 

 bits of seaweed and other shore ctibris, the three 

 or four eggs are laid, generally without any 

 semblance to a nest whatever, although in some 

 cases a little hollow is either formed by the 

 mother bird herself or selected ready for the 

 purpose. The eggs vary from buff to grayish 

 brown in ground colour, spotted and blotched 

 with various shades of brown and gray ; the much 

 larger markings and rounder form prevent them 

 from being confused with the eggs of the Ringed 

 Plover, both birds often nesting within a short 



