birds are extraordinarily tame, and often remain on 

 the eggs till the intruder is within a few feet, when 

 they usually walk off to a few yards distance, or take 

 wing and hover closely around, uttering a short grating 

 note. 



In the locality to which I allude many Sea-Pies and 

 Ringed Plovers were also breeding at the time of my 

 visits, and their agitation and endeavours to draw our 

 attention away from their eggs and young were curiously 

 in contrast with the feigned indifference of the Terns. 

 In one instance we discovered two very recently hatched 

 Ring-Plovers cowering over three eggs of the Little 

 Tern. The Editor of the 4th edition of ' Yarrell ' refers 

 to some eggs of this species taken at the end of the 

 North Wall, Dublin ; and I have found some within a few 

 yards of a constantly frequented footway in Spain. In 

 the same country I have often watched these Terns 

 fishing within a few yards of the spot upon which I and 

 others sat on the shore, or in our boat, without any 

 attempt at concealment. 



Prom its great beauty and marvellous tameness, the 

 Little Tern is a special object of pursuit to the loafers 

 who infest our sea-coasts, and shoot at every bird that 

 presents itself; and, alas ! the bodies of this Tern find a 

 ready sale for the decoration of the hats and bonnets of 

 thoughtless womankind. It is not very long ago since 

 I met, on the favourite promenade of a well-known 

 sea-side resort, a young woman who evidently con- 

 sidered that her natural attractions were enhanced by 

 the exhibition of a whole skin of one of these Terns, 

 with wings extended, and glass eyes of bright orange, 



