THE LITTLE TERN. 301 



approach — two nests containing eggs were found on the shingly 

 beach. I have not learned any other particulars respecting this 

 bird about Strangford Lough with sufficient precision for notice 

 here, excepting that a pair were seen about the islands off Ai'd- 

 millan, in the last week of June 1849. When at Dundruni, on 

 the coast of the same county, on the 23rd of August, 1836, I 

 was assured by a shore-shooter, that tw^o kinds of tern, one much 

 smaller than the other, and evidently, from his description, S. 

 mimita, breed on the coast there. We saw many terns that day 

 (though not (S". mimita), in flocks by themselves on the sand, 

 and also mingled with kittiwakes, black-headed and lesser black- 

 backed gulls. 



In summer and autumn, the little tern still occasionally ap- 

 pears in Belfast Bay. In the middle of June 1839, seven were 

 seen together, off the Long Strand, for about an hour, and admitted 

 of a very close approach, as one also did about that place on the 

 14th of September the same year. In 1841, three appeared 

 there on the 10th of June, and one on the 5th of August. In 

 September 1843, again, four, in that locality, and about the same 

 time six, at Holywood bank were observed. In the autumn of 

 1844, six appeared seated on a large stone off the Long Strand ; 

 and perched on a small buoy of the harbour five birds admitted 

 the approach of a small boat within about eight yards of them, 

 on the 26th of August, 1845. 



A specimen, shot near the Giant's Causeway, in September 

 1831, came under my inspection. The species is said to be com- 

 mon on the northern coast of Donegal."^ 



By the late Mr. John Nimmo, of Roundstone, I was informed 

 that two species of tern, of which one is the S. viinuta, breed on 

 the islets of the Galway coast ; and both in quantity on Deer 

 Island, and one or two others. They are said to appear on wing 

 together, and to breed in company : they have come when prc^ying 

 on sprats within two or three yards of the boat in which he was 

 fishing. Dr. Farran gives an interesting account of this species, 

 as seen by him and Mr. Nimmo, at the Hards Islands, off the 



* Mr. J. V. Stewart. 



