284 
LARIM. 
came under my observation : on an island here near Portaferry, I ob- 
served many terns on the 19th of August, 1837. On the 22nd of 
June, 1.846, I saw a pair of terns on Bird Island, and on Gull 
Island five birds, two of which were shot; — one fell in the sea 
and was lost to us, but the other was 8. hirundo. About the 
Laithe Bock five terns appeared, and two of them were obtained ; 
both the common species. They were long shots off, and only 
struck on the wing, so that I heard their cry in the air and on the 
ground when captured ; — pirre only was uttered by those shot, 
(which proved to be S. hirundo ,) and by all the others we heard 
to-day. Two of their eggs were found on the last-named rock, 
laid on hard drifted Fuci. The only discernible matter in the 
stomachs of those killed was a perfect Gobius Ruthensparii. On 
the 5th of June, 1849, it was observed (by Mr. J. B. Garrett) 
that the common tern had commenced breeding at Strangford 
Lough, but was not numerous. At Gransha Point, three of their 
nests were found, and four pair of birds seen : — a few others were 
flying about the lough. On the 23rd of May, 1850, it was re- 
marked by Mr. Francis Bankin, who resides at Kirkcubbin on its 
borders, that there never were so many terns seen in Strangford 
Lough as this year, owing, he imagined, to the quietness of the 
islands, as they were not frequented by help- burners, that article 
being so much depressed in price as not to be worth making. 
They were noticed as not having yet commenced breeding. On 
visiting a number of the islands on the 6th of June, he did not 
see nearly so many as at the former date, nor more than about 
fifty birds ; nor could he find an egg, though he had procured 
several before this time in the preceding year. They subsequently 
became still more scarce, as the former gentleman, on visiting the 
same localities on the 25th of June, saw but one bird and one nest 
of eggs ; and extending his trip on the following day saw neither 
egg nor bird. The many terns seen therefore on the 23rd of 
May were doubtless on migration, and some of those of the 6th 
June must have retired to other quarters. 
In the summer of 1830, a friend met with the common tern 
breeding in a salt-marsh at the extremity of Killough Bay, Down, 
