107 



THE LITTLE TERN. 



Sterna minuta L. 



The first arrival o£ this species was recorded in Kent on the 

 8th o£ April, when the Little Tern was reported to have 

 arrived in large numbers, which had settled down in their 

 breeding-haunts by the 12th» On the 17th a single individual 

 was noted in Essex, others arrived on the 20th, and a further 

 increase took place on the 26th, but a certain number of these 

 birds must have passed on, as a decrease in their numbers was 

 noted on the 8th of May. A few were recorded from Norfolk 

 and Cornwall on the 3rd and 4th of May respectively, while 

 in Merioneth between the latter date and the 15th a fairly 

 steady stream of passing birds was observed, terminating 

 apparently on the 21st. Little Terns were also noted in 

 Cumberland, passing in small numbers, on the 6th and 19th of 

 May. 



Nests with eggs were reported in Lancashire on the 17th 

 of May. 



Chronological Summary of the Records. 



April 8. Kent. 



„ 12, Kent (large numbers). 



„ 17. Essex. 



„ 19. Hants. 



„ 20. Essex (increase). 



„ 23. Norfolk, 



„ 26. Essex (many). Suffolk, 



May 3. Merioneth, Norfolk. 



„ 4. Merioneth (increase). Cornwall. 



„ 5. Merioneth (decrease). Lancashire. 



