198 president's address. 



Lapwing (May i8th). — Saw many birds, found one nest 

 with four eggs, which, from their warmth, were partly in- 

 cubated. This may have been a second nest, as the eggs are 

 gathered for table use. 



Stock-Dove. — This bird nests near the Bungalow at Drigg 

 in rabbit holes. I am told it is not at all uncommon. 



Sandwich Te7'n. — The nesting birds number over 120 pairs. 

 There were about a dozen pairs of birds nesting on the 

 estuary twelve years ago. The eggs are laid about the 

 middle of May, generally in a mere scratching in the sand. 

 Some few nests were composed of rushes or straws, and 

 though we saw none, we were told Black-headed Gulls' nests 

 were sometimes used. The eggs in each nest numbered one, 

 two, and in two cases three, but in some instances no doubt 

 the full number had not been laid. Some eggs had been 

 destroyed, but it was questionable whether this had been done 

 by the Black-headed Gulls or other birds. 



In the keeper's notes the earliest arrival he is able to record 

 of the birds is the 29th of March, and the first Q.gg on the 6th 

 of May. 



The nests are in four different places on the tops of the 

 sandhills. The difference in the down of the young birds was 

 very striking, some very dark, others very light. We did not 

 here see so fine a variety of eggs as are to be found on the 

 Fame Islands. This Tern nests earlier than the Common 

 and Little Tern. 



Little Tern. — These are beautiful graceful little birds, and 

 quite different in appearance and in their cry to any of the 

 other Terns. Jackdaws and Hedgehogs appear to destroy a 

 good many eggs. The nests are mere scratchings in the 

 sand, and the presence of vegetation, shells, or pebbles is no 

 doubt a mere accidental occurrence. This bird nests about a 

 fortnight earlier than the Common Tern. This does not 

 appear to be an increasing species. The keeper reports these 

 birds arrive slightly earlier than the Common Tern, whose 

 arrival he records about the first week in May. 



