Sea Swallows 



These four species begin to arrive from the south 

 in the latter part of May, apparently already 

 mated, but with flirtations and jealousies enough 

 to make things lively. Soon afterward, by the 

 middle of June, they have scattered to their va- 

 rious breeding grounds. While the Wilson and 

 roseate species ordinarily build a rude nest, the 

 arctic tern simply deposits its eggs on the bare 

 sand. After the incubation season is over, those 

 that are scattered on the various islands gather 

 in larger groups, and in September are found 

 in great numbers on the coast and inlets all 

 about Nantucket. Their particular location at 

 this season depends in part upon the movements 

 of the blue-fish, inasmuch as they feed largely 

 upon the smaller fishes by which blue-fish are 

 attracted ; and fishermen are even said to rely 

 to some extent upon the presence of terns to in- 

 dicate where a school of blue-fish may be looked 

 for. Lingering about their summer homes un- 

 til, fall, or, in pleasant weather, passing farther 

 out to sea, they begin to leave for the south 

 by the middle of October, and have all disap- 

 peared by the last of the month, when their 

 northern representatives, the gulls, with other 

 hardy aquatic fowl, begin to arrive for the 

 winter. 



