Terns. During the breeding-season these birds are 

 perfectly fearless of man, and will boldly attack a dog, 

 but, when merely resting awhile on their migrations, I 

 have found them difficult of approach, without a certain 

 amount of scheming, though when on wing they will 

 pass and repass within a few yards of unconcealed 

 human beings. 



The Pratincole frequently cowers with extended wings 

 on the bare ground without any apparent cause, and as 

 frequently lies upon its side with one wing partially 

 elevated, as represented in the Plate. We found this 

 species in abundance in the plains of Cyprus in May, 

 but did not discover any eggs, although I have no 

 doubt that it breeds in the island. In Corfu and on 

 the opposite mainland of Epirus these birds appear in 

 April and haunt suitable localities for a considerable 

 time ; but I am not aware of their breeding in those 

 regions anywhere nearer to Corfu than Mesolonghi. 



Mr. John Gould informed me that he had never seen 

 a young Pratincole in down, and had no idea as to its 

 appearance ; I was able to procure some of these birds 

 for him in Spain in this stage in 18G9, that could not 

 Lave been more than two or three days old ; as I 

 expected, they can run like typical Plovers on leaving 

 the egg. Mr. Gould gives a very accurate represen- 

 tation of the young bird in this early stage in his grand 

 work, the ' Birds of Great Britain.' Colonel Irby, in 

 his useful ' Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar,' 

 tells us that he found Pratincoles " in countless thou- 

 sands" in Morocco to the south of Larache in April, 

 but they had not then begun to lay ; he goes on to 



