( 516 ) 



THE NODDY TERN 



Sterna stolidj, Linn. 



PLATE CCLXXV. 



A-HOUT the beginning of May, the Noddies collect from all parts of 

 the Gulf of Mexico, and the coasts of Florida, for the purpose of re- 

 turning to their breeding places, on one of the Tortugas called Noddy 

 Key. They nearly equal in number the Sooty Terns, which also breed on 

 an island a few miles distant. The Noddies form regular nests of twigs 

 and dry grass, which they place on the bushes or low trees, but never on the 

 ground. On visiting their island on the 1 1th of May 1832, 1 was surprised 

 to see that many of them were repairing and augmenting nests that had re- 

 mained through the winter, while others were employed in constructing new 

 ones, and some were already sitting on their eggs. In a great many in- 

 stances, the repaired nests formed masses nearly two feet in height, and 

 yet all of them had only a slight hollow for the eggs, broken shells of 

 which were found among the entire ones, as if they had been purposely 

 placed there. The birds did not discontinue their labours, although there 

 were nine or ten of us walking among the bushes, and when we had gone 

 a few yards into the thicket, thousands of them flew quite low over us, 

 some at times coming so close as to enable us to catch a few of them with 

 the hand. On one side might be seen a Noddy carrying a stick in its bill, 

 or a bird picking up something from the ground to add to its nest ; on 

 the other several were seen sitting on their eggs unconscious of danger, 

 while their mates brought them food. The greater part rose on wing as 

 we advanced, but re-alighted as soon as we had passed. The bushes were 

 rarely taller than ourselves, so that we could easily see the eggs in the nests. 

 This was quite a new sight to me, and not less pleasing than unexpected. 



The Noddy, like most other species of Terns, lays three eggs, which 

 average two inches in length, by an inch and three-eighths in breadth, and 

 are of a reddish-yellow colour, spotted and patched with dull red and faint 

 purple. They afford excellent eating, and our sailors seldom failed to col- 

 lect bucketfuls of them daily during our stay at the Tortugas. The 

 wreckers assured me that the young birds remain along with the old 

 through the winter, in which respect the Noddy, if this account be correct, 



