62 
AVES. 
Burvig the north-east monsoon these Terns are very common^ 
asso'-latiiig in iarge tiocks ; they are then easy to approach, but 
when alone are very wary; the Malays say that their eggs are 
laid among grass near the sea^, without any nest; they perch, in 
great numbers, upon the fishing stakes, which are sometimes 
almost white with them. Tlie Sterna cristata of Swainson 
is somewhat smaller than the above bird, but,, in other respects, 
they exactly agree. 
