Birds. 7 J 99 



them are either with fewer spots and blotches upon a white ground, 

 or of a deep oil-green, with spots of a darker shade." — Mr. Selby. 



Roseate Tern, Sterna Dongallii. 



Situation. On the ground in the Fern Islands of the coast of 

 Northumberland, and the islands of the Firth of Cljde. 



Materials. None, the bird only scraping a hole in the sand. 



^ffff-^, 3, 4. Cream-colour or pale umber-brown, blotched with two 

 shades of darker brown. 



Common Tern, Stfrna Hirundo. 



Situation. On the ground in the islands of the Firth of Clyde, 

 Solway Firth and the Western Islands. 



Materials. None : it scrapes a hole in the sand above high-water 

 mark. 



Eggs, 2, 3. Various in the ground-colour, being olive-green, um- 

 ber-brown, and even cream-coloured, always blotched with two 

 shades of brown. 



Arctic Tern, Sterna arctica. 



Situation. On the bare ground in the Fern Islands, on the coast 

 of Northumberland. " The colony occupies a large spot on the islet 

 selected, and the eggs are placed so near to each other as to render it 

 difficult to traverse the site without crushing some of them." — 

 Mr. Selhy. 



Materials. None, the bird only scraping a hole in the sand. 



Eggs, 2, 3. The ground-colour olive-green, with darker blotches. 



Lesser Tern, Sterna minuta. 



Situation. On the bare ground in several distant parts of the 

 kingdom ; on the coast of Lincolnshire, especially about Skegness ; 

 on the coast of Northumberland, and on both sides of the Firth of Forth. 



Materials. None, the bird merely scraping a hole in the sand. 



Eggs, 2, 3. " Yellowish stone-colour, spotted with black-brown 

 and gray, the spots thickest at the larger end : they do not vary 

 much." — Mr. Donhleday. 



Black Tern, Sterna nigra. 



Situation. In sedgy places in the fens of Cambridgeshire, Lin- 

 colnshire, and Romney Marsh on the coast of Kent. 



Materials. " About the middle of May this species prepares a 

 nest of flags or broad grass in the most marshy places, upon a tuft 

 just above the water." — Col. Montagu. Often built on the broad 

 leaves of the water-lily, according to Temminck ; and ifso, itmust 

 float like the nests of the grebes. 



Eggs, 4. Olive-brown, blotched with umber-brown. 



