290 LARID.E. 



monthj in 1815, two flocks, consisting each of twenty birds, were 

 observed fishing off Balljmacarrett. They joined together, and 

 on tlic night of the 9th, at ten o^ clock (no moonlight), were heard 

 Hying over the land, perhaps on their antinnnal migration. From 

 the 21st to the last day of the month that year, they were nu- 

 merons, and covered over the buoys of the Channel at high tide 

 as closely as they could sit : on one day it was considered that 

 not less than a thousand birds were perched -u])on them. The 

 earliest date of their autumnal appearance, far up the bay near the 

 town, in another year, was the 12th of August : September is the 

 chief period of their visit.'^ At the end of this month in 1845, 

 and other years, they collected together in great numbers far up 

 the bay (about two miles from the town), in the evening, and 

 alighted along the edge of the channel. Mocks of many hundreds 

 were thus seen by moonlight, and, when they first arrested at- 

 tention, were imagined to be masses of snowy foam along the 

 margin of the flowing tide ; but on taking wing, their loud and 

 well-known cries proclaimed their species. Although one of 

 these birds, which was shot, and came under ray observation, was 

 an arctic tern, I place this note along with others of the same 

 kind, as S. Iiirunclo was probably also of the party. The latest 

 noted as killed here were four obtained on the 1st of October, 

 from a flock of about twenty ; they were the young of the year 

 and old birds of S. hirundo. From the circumstance of both old 

 and young being generally found associated here at this period, 

 they probably move southward in company. On the very stormy 



* Sterna hirundo. — August 12th. On examination of two adult males killed to- 

 day, a great difference appeared in the colour of their primaries. In the one, as they 

 appear when the wings are closed and the white inner web concealed, they are 

 blackisli-brown throughout, and in the other of a Jioary white or pearl-grey. Juty 

 IGth. Of two very young birds taken from nests at Lake Clay, one was a little older 

 than the other, and had the tarsi and feet pale orange, while those of the younger 

 were of a deep Uesh-colour. The bills of both, as in the old bird, were black towards 

 the tip. This is the ordinary hue. The following note indicates an occasional de- 

 parture from it. Sterna hirundo. — Septeynber 17th, 1839. Four of these birds, shot 

 from a flock of five at Conswater this evening, were brought to me. Two were adult, 

 and two, the young of the year. Of these latter, one was much larger than the 

 other, had tlie legs and feet of a reddish flesh-colour, and the bill dark greenish-ash : 

 the smaller bird had the legs, feet, and Ijill greenish ; the last being the darkest in 

 shade. 



