TWO DAYS WITH THE TERNS 



115 



the wing, and tlie series of pictures shown represents 

 the stages of growth from tlie egg to the age at 

 which the bird tal^es fliglit. 



Both the nature of the bird's haunts and the 

 manner in which the members of a colony spread an 

 alarm make it practically impossible to surprise a 



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\ Til Is 



Tern uj^on its nest. But by lying prone uj^on the 

 ground one attracts far less attention than wlien 

 standing. The hovering flock of birds gradually 

 disperses, and those which are incubating soon re- 

 turn to the vicinity of their nests, hanging over 

 them and dropping nearer and nearer,^^ until at the 

 end of fifteen or twenty minutes they swoop down 

 beside them, raise their wings high over their backs, 

 then fold them gently and settle upon their eggs.*^ 



On a second visit 'to the island a bit of old sail 

 was brought, which I drew over me when lying on 

 the ground — a plan resulting in my practical disap- 

 pearance, as far as tlie Terns were concerned. 



