9162 Birds. 
were of a pale sea-green colour, with small black blotches and spots: 
after they were blown the delicate green tint faded entirely, and they 
are now of a pale stone-colour. A peculiarity which I noticed with 
regard to the breeding of the lesser tern was this: the only eggs which 
I found of this species were all of them laid on the beach outside the 
sand-hills, in view of the sea, and not in ‘the interior of the island. 
With the common and arctic terns it was just the reverse; I found 
about a score of nests of the common tern and four of the arctic tern, 
and in no instance did I find them outside the sand-hills; they were 
invariably on the inside, where it was more sheltered from the wind, 
and from whence the sea could not be seen. 
As far as my experience goes, neither of the two last-mentioned 
birds make any nest, the eggs being laid on the bare ground, and, 
owing to the great similarity between the birds and eggs of both 
species, it requires some care to distinguish them. ‘The arctic tern, 
however, is slightly larger, and has the tarsus shorter and the tail 
longer in proportion ; the bill is also shorter, and not tipped with black, 
but red throughout, while the under parts, which in the common tern 
are pure white, in the arctic tern are pale gray. ‘The eggs of the com- 
mon tern are generally very round, and are more profusely marked ; 
while those of the arctic tern, as arule, are more pointed at the smaller 
end, of a lighter ground-colour and have fewer markings. As I have 
stated, I found four nests of the last named tern, and in three instances 
bagged one of the old birds, thus making certain of the species. The 
common tern on the coast of Lancashire is called “ sparling,” and 
when I first heard my guide exclaim, “ Here are some sparling’s eggs,” 
I was fairly puzzled to know what eggs they could be. I have since 
found mention of a bird, in Dr. Leigh’s ‘ Natural History of Lanca- 
shire,’ called the “ sparling fisher,” but the description given of it is so 
vague that I cannot guess what bird it may be. The author says, “It 
is about the bigness of a duck, and by a wonderful activity in diving 
catches its prey, and yields a very pleasant diversion when pursued by 
water-dogs.” 
The terns are very pugnacious in attacking other birds that approach 
their nests. I saw a lesser tern actually attack a herring gull, following 
it for a long way, and every now and then making a swoop and endea- 
vouring to strike it with its bill. The gull, like a great coward, made 
no attempt at resistance, but only tried to avoid its attacks by flight, 
now and then uttering a short angry bark. I also saw a crow pursued 
by a common tern, and very much harassed he seemed to be, and glad 
to make his escape. 
