Birds. 9409 



some little disappoinlment in his search, and found comparatively so 

 few eggs. 



In commenting upon his notes I cannot do better than pursue the 

 plan which he has adopted, and place his observations in inverted 

 commas, for the sake of distinction. 



Common Tern. — With reference to my remark that I had disturbed 

 the birds from their eggs, he says : — 



"June 3, 1863. None seen on or near their eggs. 10 — 12 a.m." 



" June 9, 1864. None seen on or near their eggs. 10 A. M. — 2 P. M." 



I have referred to my note-book, and find that I made no memoran- 

 dum of the time at which the birds were on their eggs, but, considering 

 that I was on the island by 5 a.m., I think it must have been about 

 9 A.M. when I found the first common tern's eggs, and saw the birds 

 rise from the ground. I can only find one line in my note-book in 

 which I have made any mention of time, and that is as follows : — 

 "11 o'clock. Sandwiches (lunch — not terns)." Before this hour I had 

 collected by far the greater number of common tern's eggs, had seen 

 the birds rise from the ground, and had shot one of them. I would 

 now suggest that perhaps the birds cover their eggs until the sun has 

 acquired sufficient power to heat them and the pebbles or sand on 

 which they lie, and that they then leave them for the purpose of 

 fishing. I remember to have seen the blackheaded gulls and Sand- 

 wich terns on their nests between 6 and 7 A.M. 



" 1863. No nest." 



" 1864. But few eggs deposited on the bare pebbles, or even sand, 

 and these invariably in hollows." 



In this we appear to agree, and are confirmed by Dr. Saxby, who, 

 I am glad to see, has made some observations upon this point in his 

 " Ornithological Notes from Shetland " (Zool. 9313). 



" 1863. In every instance outside (seaward) of the sand-hills." 



" 1864. Mostly outside the sand-hills." 



It is very singular that in no instance did I find eggs of the com- 

 mon tern outside the sand-hills : they were all on the inside, sheltered 

 from the wind, and out of sight of the sea ; and this struck me at the 

 time as being so remarkable that I made a note of it, with a view of 

 ascertaining whether the common tern invariably breeds in more shel- 

 tered situations than some of its congeners, as for instance the lesser 

 tern, which was only found breeding outside the sand-hills, and ex- 

 posed to wind and wave. Had Mr. Ecroyd Smith made no observa- 

 tions in 1863, but merely visited the island after I left it this spring, 

 I should not have been quite so much surprised at his finding some 

 VOL. XXIII. E 



