48 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



every now and then dart downwards like a stone into 

 the water and capture a fish, fluttering up again, or 

 remaining for a moment to swallow their capture. 

 A flock of Terns (of any species) fishing is one of 

 the prettiest sights imaginable. In addition to 

 small fish the Sandwich Tern devours crustaceans 

 of various kinds, whilst its young are fed largely 

 upon sand-lice and beetles. The Terns are much 

 cleaner feeders than the Gulls, and I have never 

 known them touch carrion or refuse. I have, 

 however, seen them pounce down upon scraps of 

 food thrown from a vessel. The usual call-note 

 of the Sandwich Tern is a somewhat shrill 

 scream. 



This Tern probably pairs for life, and returns 

 regularly every season to its old-accustomed haunts 

 to breed. These are by preference low, rocky, or 

 sandy islands, covered with marine herbage, varied 

 with barer patches, and with beaches of rough 

 shingle. Similar conditions are sought on the 

 mainland, in a secluded spot on the coast, but an 

 island is always preferred. The Sandwich Tern is 

 gregarious, but its colonies, with one exception, in 

 our islands are nowhere very extensive. This one 

 exception is at the Fame Islands, where it has been 

 computed the birds number upwards of a thousand 

 pairs. As the nesting-places are visited very 

 regularly year by year this Tern probably pairs for 

 life. I have noticed, however, that the birds shift 

 their actual breeding ground from time to time. 



