284 LARID^. 



came under my observation : on an island here near Portaferry, I ob- 

 served many terns on the 19th of August^ 1887. On the 22nd of 

 June, 1846, I saw a pair of terns on Bird Island, and on Gull 

 Island five birds, two of which were shot ; — one fell in the sea 

 and was lost to us, but the other was S. Airundo. About the 

 Laithe Eock five terns appeared, and two of them were obtained ; 

 both the common species. They were long shots ofl^, and only 

 struck on the wing, so that I heard their cry in the air and on the 

 ground when captured ; — -pirre only was uttered by those shot, 

 (which proved to be S. kinmdo,) and by all the others we heard 

 to-day. Two of their eggs were found on the last-named rock, 

 laid on hard drifted Fuci. The only discernible matter in the 

 stomachs of those killed was a perfect Gohms Rutliensparii. On 

 the 5tli of June, 1849, it was observed (by Mr. J. E. Garrett) 

 that the common tern had commenced breeding at Strangford 

 Lough, but was not numerous. At Gransha Point, three of their 

 nests were found, and four pair of birds seen : — a few others were 

 flying about the lough. On the 23rd of May, 1850, it was re- 

 marked by Mr. Prancis Eankin, who resides at Kirkcubbin on its 

 borders, that there never were so many terns seen in Strangford 

 Lough as this year, owing, he imagined, to the quietness of the 

 islands, as they were not frequented by /('if/^-burners, that article 

 being so much depressed in price as not to be worth making. 

 They were noticed as not having yet commenced breeding. On 

 visiting a number of the islands on the 6th of June, he did not 

 see nearly so many as at the former date, nor more than about 

 fifty birds ; nor could he find an egg, though he had procured 

 several before this time in the preceding year. They subsequently 

 became still more scarce, as the former gentleman, on visiting the 

 same locaHties on the 25th of June, saw but one bird and one nest 

 of eggs; and extending his trip on the following day saw neither 

 egg nor bird. The many terns seen therefore on the 23rd of 

 May were doubtless on migration, and some of those of the 6th 

 June must have retired to other quarters. 



In the summer of 1830, a friend met with the common tern 

 breeding in a salt-marsh at the extremity of Killough Bay, Down, 



