346 SEA-SIDE HOMES : 
sea-weed, or other soft pliable substances, in this particular 
locality at least. 
The number of eggs deposited must next claim our atten- 
tion; and in this matter, as seeing is believing, we must 
differ with some very respectable authorities. It is a com- 
mon belief, circulated from one writers book to another's, 
that Terns generally lay three eggs, and the little Sand- 
pipers and Plovers always four. The belief is true enough, 
as a general rule; but every rule has its exceptions, and 
here are two notable ones. The Least Tern, breeding in 
North Carolina, generally lays two eggs; sometimes only 
one; rarely (if ever) three ; and never four; at any rate, 
we have not found more than two in any instance, and our 
experience may count for something, seeing that we have ~ 
just explored a tolerably extensive breeding place. Still it 
would be injudieious for us to proclaim that the bird may 
not lay three in other localities. But as for four eggs from 
one Least Tern at a single laying we flatly refuse to believe 
it till we see it. If any one is inclined to object to the 
assertion that the one egg, found in some instances, would 
ave been succeeded by another, we can discountenance the 
assumption by replying that the solitary eggs in question 
were nearly hatched when found. Again, Wilson’s Plover 
lays three eggs,—no more, no less, as far as our observa- 
tions have gone, with respect to nests actually found. The 
suggestion that the fourth one would have been laid in due 
time is combatted by what has just been advanced in the 
other case, namely, the mature condition of the embryos. 
Yet we know the bird sometimes lays four, because we have 
killed females just going to lay, finding one egg in the ovi- 
duct, almost ready to be expelled, and the three others in a 
: highly developed state, still attached to the ovary. The time 
| of laying varies a great deal, in the cases of both the birds. 
They may deposit eggs at any time between the second 
week in May and the first in June; the greatest number lay 
about May 20th. Some of the Terns may even commence 


