28 
QUARTERLY BULLETIN. 
Sterna anglica, Mont. Marsh Tern. A few pairs were seen, 
but they had not commenced to breed during my visit; they 
nest here sparingly, however, as I had a set of their eggs sent me 
which were laid the last of June. 
Sterna regia, Gamb. Royal Tern. Called ^‘Gannets” by the na- 
tives. They have always been found breeding on a small sand-bar 
off the island, but it was washed away during the winter of ’74-5, 
and although the birds were flying around they had not chosen any 
spot on which to breed, but they undoubtedly did later. 
Sterna hirundo, Auct. Common Tern. “ Big Strikers’’ of the isl 
anders. Very common ; their principal breeding grounds are on the 
marshes, where the drifts deposited by the early spring tides are 
thickly covered with their nests. These are merely formed of dried 
reeds, lined with finer pieces of the same. A few pairs ars also found 
in the colonies of Least Terns, in which case they make no nest, but 
deposit their eggs in a slight depression in the sand. These are al- 
ways three, and were all fresh, having been robbed by the eggers 
from the time of their laying about the middle of May. The Roseate 
Tern {Sterna Dougalli), doubtless breeds here also, but I was 
unable to detect it. 
Sterna superciliaris, var. antillarum, Coues. Least Tern. ‘^Little 
Striker.” Colonies of about fifty pairs each of this species extend the 
whole length of the island at about a distance of one mile apart. 
The eggs were just laid and were all nearly fresh ; two being the 
usual number in a nest, and in no case did I find over three. These 
were laid in a depression in the sand among broken shells and are 
very difficult to find owing to their similarity to the surroundings. 
Bhynchops nigra, Linn. Black Skimmer. Called “ Sea Crow.” 
The birds were in flocks of twenty or thirty, during my stay, as they 
do not breed until the last of June. I had several sets of the eggs 
sent me and the sender states that they breed in colonies on the sand 
and always lay three in a nest. 
