THE BIRDS OF SCILLY. 343 



single nests have been found at odd times, it is feared that this 

 bird is no longer a regular breeder at Scilly. In the spring of 

 1903 two pairs began to build on Guthers, but five weeks after 

 the nests were begun they were found empty. In that year, 

 however, at least one brood was successfully hatched in a less 

 frequented spot. The Eoseate Tern was nesting in considerable 

 numbers when D. W. Mitchell visited the islands in May, 1840. 

 After that date it seems gradually to have forsaken Scilly, and 

 in 1854 Jenkinson says that only one or two pairs were nesting 

 there. In September, 1867, Eodd saw a few in their former 

 breeding haunts, but this is their last recorded appearance on 

 the islands. The Common Tern is not nearly so abundant as 

 formerly, though it is still well represented at the breeding 

 season. It occasionally builds on such low-lying rocks that the 

 nests are floated off by a spring tide. The Arctic Tern some 

 twenty or twenty-five years ago greatly outnumbered the Common 

 Tern, but, though still breeding every year, it is now sadly in 

 the minority. The Little Tern seems to be a casual visitor. One 

 in immature plumage was shot on Guthers, Sept. 14th, 1857. 

 Seven were seen by F. E. Eodd between Tresco and Samson in 

 October, 1863, and three of these were shot. One spent several 

 weeks about the Long Pool, Tresco, in July, 1877, and one was 

 seen on Bryher in April, 1904. In 1883, David Smith saw a 

 strange Tern hawking flies over the ponds of Tresco. As he was 

 barely convalescent after a severe illness, he asked a friend to 

 shoot it, but the latter missed the bird, which flew off, and was 

 never seen again. On being shown the plates in Gould, Smith 

 promptly identified it as the Sooty Tern. 



All the Gulls that occur round the Cornish coast have been 

 obtained at Scilly, with the exception of two accidental stragglers 

 from North America — to wit, Bonaparte's Gull and the Ivory 

 Gull. An example of Sabine's Gull was shot by Joe Smith in 

 the autumn of 1893. The Little Gull has apparently been over- 

 looked. It was thought to have been seen on St. Mary's in 

 October, 1905, but it was not till Christmas week (1905) that a 

 specimen was obtained. The Black-headed Gull is usually com- 

 mon in winter, and occasionally appears in flocks in the late 

 spring. On May 25th, 1903, there was a group of fourteen birds 

 on the Abbey Green, none, however, in summer plumage. E. H. 



