OF VIRGINIA 15 
Venezuela; now rare, but formerly abundant in the 
breeding season from Florida to Maine, wandering to 
Labrador and Newfoundland; in migration occurs on 
coasts of Lower California and western Mexico; winters 
from the Gulf Coast to Venezuela and Peru. 
Formerly one of our most abundant of sea-birds, this 
beautiful little tern is now almost extinct as a breeding 
bird on our coast. A few pairs do, however, breed near 
the southern boundary line, and north of us, and I hope 
before many years they will increase so abundantly at 
other breeding grounds as to overflow and return to our 
coastal islands at least. In 1889 these birds were so 
numerous that a large colony were breeding on the main- 
land beach, at the entrance of Back River into the Chesa- 
peake Bay. Shortly after this, the slanghter commenced ; 
the birds being shot and skinned for the millinery trade 
of the large northern cities. During the breeding season 
on the islands, sometimes three to five hundred birds were 
shot in a single day. This slaughter went on for a few 
seasons, the numbers of birds diminishing each year until 
they disappeared from our shores almost entirely, and the 
market gunners could not further make a living shooting 
and skinning these birds at ten cents each, the price paid 
by the wholesale millinery houses. They are the most 
dainty and graceful of our sea-birds. The spring migra- 
tion of those breeding northward, and those formerly 
breeding with us, occurs about April 26th, while small 
flocks may be seen in Hampton Roads and Chesapeake 
Bay as late as the last of October, on their way south for 
the winter. Two to three eggs are desposited in a slight 
hollow in the sandy beach, well back from the ocean and 
convealed well by the surrounding shells, pebbles, and 
