VISIT TO TERNERY AT WELLS-BY-THE-SEA. 367 
had settled on their eggs, and being the first to leave. The only 
nest we found was due to Mr. Earl flushing the bird, but Cringle 
says he can always find them by looking for tangles in the grass. 
According to Cringle it is almost impossible to make a Redshank 
desert its eggs, even after having been struck at with a stick, or 
having been caught by a dog and losing some of its feathers it will 
return. With its sylph-like figure, dainty steps, and fluty note, 
it was the prettiest bird we met with at the ternery. 
There were a good many Partridge nests, and Mr. Kar! pointed 
out that the eggs were smaller than of those that frequent arable 
land. 
Whilst with Mr. Southgate I saw three Redshanks perching 
somewhat uncertainly on the branches of a dead bush. Had 
our focal plane shutter been in working order we might have got 
some good photographs of Redshanks flying. In crossing the 
marsh, if Cringle happened to let his dog wander, it was soon 
followed by an ever-increasing mob of Redshanks, some of them 
only two or three feet above the ground; once there were about 
thirty of them, all evidently suspecting his intentions. 
The following notes have been sent me by Pat Cringle, the 
bird-watcher :— 
‘‘The Lesser Tern makes its first appearance here about the 
last week in April, nearly always two or three days before the 
Common. The Lesser Tern is the first to lay, but not until two 
or three days spent in making experiments, each bird making 
two or three nests before deciding on one. I generally find the 
first eggs about May 24th, but this year I saw some on May 18th. 
I find that after laying in the same place for a year or two the 
whole colony will shift to another place. They do not seem to 
like the Common Tern at alli, and although they are half as 
small again, they seem to be the masters, as they drive them 
away if they come near their nests. When they have young 
they are not so fierce as the Common Tern, but they will make a 
good deal more row when danger is near. If one is a bit 
suspicious of anybody being about it seems to have a warning 
note, for as soon as it utters it the others all rise off their nests 
at the same instant. As soon as the young can fly they get to 
an open place where they can see a good way round them, and 
are fed there by the old birds until they can fly to the edge of 
