GULLS AND TERNS. 51 



birds may be watched with ease. In a serried 

 throng they flutter to and fro ; ever and anon a 

 bird falls down like a fragrant of white glittering 

 marble into the sea with a loud splash, and in a 

 moment rises again with its finny prey. Bird after 

 bird keeps dropping so ; now and then a bird 

 remains swimming on the water ; now and then 

 two birds chase each other in rapid flight. And 

 so for miles the Terns will continue to follow the 

 shoal until hunger is satisfied, or the fish retire to 

 greater depths. The food of this species is chiefly 

 composed of small fish, but insects and crustaceans 

 are also devoured. The note of the Common Tern 

 is a shrill krick or kree-ick, most frequently uttered 

 when the bird is flying alarmed over its invaded 

 nesting place. 



The Common Tern is rather a late breeder, its 

 eggs not being laid until the end of May or early 

 in June. It breeds in companies of varying size, 

 the suitability of the site being in some measure a 

 determining cause. This Tern is equally capricious 

 in the site selected for the nests ; sometimes one 

 spot is chosen, sometimes another ; but there can 

 be little doubt that the bird pairs for life, and 

 evinces considerable attachment for its accustomed 

 haunts. I have found almost invariably that the 

 Common Tern habitually lays its eggs farther from 

 the water than the Arctic Tern, and always prefers 

 to conceal them amongst vegetation of some kind. 

 Islands are always preferred to the mainland, 



