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its force and follow the retreating waters rapidly, by a series of hopping jumps, 

 feeding the while, and sometimes only just avoiding the next incoming wave, 

 by taking wing for a few yards with apparent reluctance. 



No. 127. — Larus scopulinus, Forst. 

 Tara-punga. 

 Little Gull. 



During the breeding season, our very pretty Little Gull frequents the 

 river-beds, and shores of lakes, in very large numbers. It deposits its eggs 

 with scarcely any of the preparation that distinguishes the larger species of 

 Gull. The eggs are usually found on the bare ground ; at most a few bents of 

 grass, amongst the stones, sufficing for a nest. The eggs, often broadly oval, 

 sometimes ovoiconical, are of different shades of greyish-brown, plentifully 

 besprinkled with darker marks and blotches of grey and brown. Length, 

 2 inches 1 line, by a diameter of 1 inch 6 lines. 



No. 129. — Sterna caspia, Pall. 

 Fish-hawk. 



This fine Tern is content with merely a hollow scraped in the sand, just 

 large enough to contain the eggs ; the breeding season extending from 

 November to January ; our earliest note of having seen the egg, is dated 

 November 14th. 



The eggs, usually two or three in number, ovoiconical in form, measure 

 2 inches 7 lines in length, with a diameter of 1 inch 9 lines ; we have a 

 specimen from Lake Ellesmere, much smaller than is shown by this measure- 

 ment ; the eggs are of varying shades of pale greyish-brown, richly spotted 

 with dark-grey and brown, distributed all over the surface ;■ in some specimens 

 these markings are most numerous at the larger end. When these birds are 

 disturbed at breeding-time, they ascend to a great height, and hover around 

 the intruder, uttering loud screams. We have found the young as large as the 

 adult Larus scopulinus, before they were able to fly. Have found this bird 



No. 130. — Sterna longipennis, Nordm. 

 Whale-bird. 



The black-billed, swallow-tailed Whale-bird seems constantly to frequent 

 our coasts and harbours, the liveliness of its movements on the wing, especially 

 the rapidity with which it drops from a great height to secure its finny prey, 

 frequently renders it an object of remark to the dwellers on the sea-shore, it 

 deposits its egg on the bare rock, without the slightest protection, at a distance 

 varying from about five to six feet and upwards from the level of high tide ; 

 the egg must often lie within reach of heavy showers of spray. Ovoiconical in 

 form, generally, but sometimes rather oval, the egg measures 1 inch 10 lines in 

 length, with a diameter of 1 inch 4 lines. Colour varies from shades of 

 pale-grey, sea-green, stone-colour, or light-brown, lightly freckled with brown, 

 or profusely blotched with slatey-grey, and chesnut-brown, to almost black. 

 The young covered with mottled-grey down, varying in shade to almost brown, 

 are quite helpless for two or three weeks after hatching, and appear quite 

 unable to attempt securing safety by swimming, like young Gulls, when 

 alanned ; they retain the grey feathers on the head even when well-grown. 

 Great quantities of small fish may usually be noticed surrounding the young 

 birds. We believe this bird lays but one egg, but are aware that others 

 entertain a different opinion. On a rocky point, in Port Cooper, which is 



