MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 623 
The Terns began to arrive on April 28th, but the watcher did 
not go on duty till May 20th, on which date he found both 
Lesser Terns and Dotterel’s eggs ; on the 14th of the same 
month an 0\ster-catcher’s nest with two eggs had been found. 
The first Common Tern’s eggs were found on May 26th, and 
the first Sheld Ducks hatched on the same day. First Ring 
Dotterels hatched on 28th May. Three Sandwich Terns were 
seen on 8th June, and first Lesser Terns hatched on the 10th. 
On the 12th of June one Roseate Tern was seen, also again 
on 5th July. On 14th June, Oyster-catchers hatched oft', 
and on 19th first Common Tern, on July 3rd a brood of 
15 young Sheld Ducks was seen. 
It was found necessary to institute one prosecution, which 
fell heavily on the scanty funds of the Society, resulting in 
leaving a balance due to the Treasurer; but it is interesting 
to learn that “ two of the Oyster-catcher’s eggs which had 
been stolen, but recovered by the watcher, duly hatched off.” 
The income of the Society amounted to only £11 10s. 
From the Wells Society the report is not quite so favour- 
able. An outlay of 19s. was incurred for poisoning Rats, 
which in this district constitute a serious annoyance. Mr. 
C. A. Hamond of Twyford Hall, the Hon. Secretary, states 
that “ although there were not so many nests, there were no 
severe storms nor did many of the young birds die.” One 
interesting feature is the increase of the colony of Black- 
headed Gulls in their ancient nesting place, “Mow Creek;” 
there were twelve pairs of birds nested there as against six 
pairs in the previous year ; the first nest of these birds was 
hatched off on June 17th and the last on July 10th. The 
watcher’s diary gives May 20th as the first nest of Lesser 
Tern’s eggs. May 25th first young Redshanks, and on 26th 
first eggs of Common Terns. June 2nd, five young Sheld Ducks 
were seen, and on the 8th three young Ring Dotterels. June 
14th, a Roseate Tern seen. June iSth, first Lesser Tern 
hatched, and on 19th, first Common Tern. July 30th. two 
Sandwich Terns flying over. 
l he whole amount subscribed for 1907 only amounted to 
