THE SOOTY TERN. 91 



He assured me that both species were on their respective breeding-grounds 

 by millions, that the eggs of the first lay on the sand under bushes, at 

 intervals of about a foot, while the nests of the last were placed as thickly 

 on the bushes of their own chosen island. "Before we cast anchor," he 

 added, "you will see them rise in swarms like those of bees when disturbed 

 in their hive, and their cries will deafen you." 



You may easily imagine how anxious I was to realize the picture; I 

 expressed a wish to be landed on the island; but the kind officer replied, 

 "My good sir, you will soon be tired of their incessant noise and numbers, 

 and will enjoy the procuring of Boobies much better." After various tacks, 

 we made our way through the curious and extremely dangerous channels 

 leading to the small harbour, where we anchored. As the chain grated the 

 ear, I saw a cloud-like mass arise over the "Bird Key," from which we were 

 only a few hundred yards distant; and in a few minutes the yawl was carry- 

 ing myself and my assistant ashore. On landing, I felt for a moment as if 

 the birds would raise me from the ground, so thick were they all round, and 

 so quick the motion of their wings. Their cries were indeed deafening, yet 

 not more than half of them took to wing on our arrival, those which rose 

 being chiefly male birds, as we afterwards ascertained. We ran across the 

 naked beach, and as we entered the thick cover before us, and spread in 

 different directions, we might at every step have caught a sitting bird, or one 

 scrambling through the bushes to escape from us. Some of the sailors, who 

 had more than once been there before, had provided themselves with sticks, 

 with which they knocked down the birds as they flew thick around and 

 over them. In less than half an hour, more than a hundred Terns lay dead 

 in a heap, and a number of baskets were filled to the brim with eggs. We 

 then returned on board, and declined disturbing the rest any more that 

 night. My assistant, Mr. H. Ward, of London, skinned upwards of fifty 

 specimens, aided by Captain Day's servant. The sailors told me that the 

 birds were excellent eating, but on this point I cannot say much in corrobo- 

 ration of their opinion, although I can safely recommend the eggs, for I 

 considered them delicious, in whatever way cooked, and during our stay at 

 the Tortugas we never passed a day without providing ourselves with a good 

 quantity of them. 



The next morning Mr. Ward told me that great numbers of the Terns 

 left their island at two o'clock, flew off towards the sea, and returned a little 

 before day, or about four o'clock. This I afterwards observed to be regularly 

 the case, unless there happened to blow a gale, a proof that this species sees 

 as well during the night as by day, when they also go to sea in search of 

 food for themselves and their young. In this respect they differ from the 

 Sterna stolida, which, when overtaken at .sea by darkness, even when land 



