THE ROSEATE TERN. 
279 
not learn any particulars respecting them. They may at that 
period have been on migration southwards, after breeding. 
On visiting the Skerries — islands off Portrush, and near the 
Giant’s Causeway— on the 12th of July, 1838, I found that 
terns are not numerous there, and was told that from being much 
disturbed by fishermen and others, they are gradually becoming 
scarcer. The surface of these islands as to structure and vegeta- 
tion is very similar to the Mew Island, but the rocks present a 
more even surface, and are less favourable for their nests. Three 
birds, which we shot, were of the arctic species. We saw but 
one nest, also of this bird, one egg in which would be called 
that of the arctic, the other of the common tern. Judging from 
the cry of crake which I heard from one bird, the roseate species 
must be here. 
When in Dublin, in May 1837, I learned that two roseate 
terns had been killed in summer on the barren Rockabill, four 
and a half statute miles from Skerries, on the Dublin coast ; and 
subsequently I was informed that several had been shot in the 
last week of June the same year, a few miles from the island.* 
Hence it was presumed that the species breeds there. We cannot, 
as Mr. Selby has done, on the authority of the lighthouse- keeper 
on the Earn Islands, say when this bird came to the Rockabill, 
but only, that it was first noticed there (so far as my information 
extends) at the period named. On the 1st of July, 1840, it was 
ascertained that they were breeding there plentifully ; sixteen of 
them were shot and sent to my informant : no other species of 
tern was obtained on the occasion.! The Rev. George Robinson 
visited this island on July the 12th, 1844, and saw hundreds of 
roseate terns, four of which were shot, S. hirundo was numerous 
there. The roseate, though abundant, was not so plentiful as 
the arctic and common united. In June 1847, he visited Rock- 
abill a second time, and on that occasion found a great diminu- 
tion in the numbers of the roseate terns, which was attributed by 
the boatmen to the number that had been shot by boating parties. 
On the 17th of July, 1850, Mr. John J. Watters, jun., went 
* Mr. T. W, Warren. f Dr. C. Farran. 
