174 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



difference in their cry of " crake, crake," harsher than that of 

 the Common Tern. Although not remembered by these observers, 

 the 24th was the identical day on which two Eoseate Terns t were 

 shot here by a boy in 1896. A pair were seen also at Wells in 

 June, 1897 (Norwich Nat. Trans., vi., p. 512), and another at 

 the Point in May and June, 1902, and they are even supposed to 

 have nested at Hunstanton (' Ootheca Wolleyana,' ii., p. 301). 

 This species seems to be on the increase (c/. ' British Birds,' vii., 

 p. 242), and the Arctic Tern to be getting rarer — at least on our 

 coast. 



25th. — Two nests of the Lesser Tern, and afterwards a third 

 nest, all with eggs, found by Mr. F. Chasen near Yarmouth, 

 where they are not known with certainty to have bred for many 

 years. At Wolferton, Mr. G. Cresswell reports first eggs of the 

 Common and Lesser Terns on May 13th, and the first young of 

 the Common Tern on June 5th and of the Lesser on June 4th. 

 Here they generally use the shingle for their nests, but at 

 Blakeney the marram grass (Psamma), and perhaps in rare 

 instances the shelter of Suceda bushes (S . fruticosa) . 



30th. — Blakeney " Ternery." Last year's report commented 

 on the flourishing state of this well-protected ternery, and on 

 the increase of Sheld-Ducks, of which, on the 30th, Mr. C. 

 Gurney and I put up thirty-nine, showing how they have 

 responded to protection (see ' Zoologist,' 1886, p. 93, and 3 887, 

 p. 141). With the Terns we were very much disappointed, for 

 not only was the number less than had been seen on previous 

 visits, but also there had been a most unfortunate mortality 

 among the young, three-fourths of which were lying dead on the 

 sand, and other downy mites were scarcely able to crawl. The 

 watcher in charge considered that they had been starved by lack 

 of Whitebait, their usual food, he having opened several nestlings 

 and found no food in them. Mr. William Bowan, who was 

 staying at the Point * some ten days later, remarked on the 



* In 1912 Blakeney Point was purchased from Lord Calthorpe by " The 

 National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty," and a 

 small house has been built on the sand-hills for the use of botanical students, 

 under the leadership of Professor Oliver. During the first week in July 

 about one hundred and thirtj* Terns and fifteen Lesser Terns were ringed 

 under his direction by Mr. Kowan, with rings supplied by Mr. Witherby. 



