296 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol viii. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — Mr. Rowan in his article on the Blakeney Point ternery, 

 referring to the Little Tern on p. 257, says " nesting begins in June." 

 My own experience, however, is that they nest considerably earlier 

 than the Common Tern, and on referring to my notes I find my 

 earliest record is a clutch of three eggs which I found in the sand at 

 Blakeney Point on May 14th, 1911. 



The " dip-ear," to which allusion is made on page 250, is a commoxi 

 local name for the Little Tern in this neighbourhood, but is generally 

 used to distinguish this species from " the " Tern. 



I think Mr. Rowan misunderstood Pashley's statement about the 

 old wild-fowler eating the Terns, Pashley was referring to their eggs. 



April, 1915. Clifford Borrer. 



[May 14th is a remarkably early date foi a full clutch of the Little 

 Tern, which seldom has eggs earlier than May 17th. It is, as 

 Mr. Borrer states, rather an earlier breeder as a rule than the Common 

 Tern, but there is not a great deal of difference between the dates 

 of the two species, as the Common Tern has been known to lay as 

 early as May IGth on the Kentish coast. — F.C.R.J.] 



Corrections. — Mr. Rowan states that on p. 251 the reference 

 to K under the chart should be " Long T ow " not " Long Hills." On 

 page 262, 12 lines from bottom, the length of one egg is given as " 2.56 " 

 instead of " 3.56." 



