252 
THE SOOTY TERN. 
Early the next morning I was put on shore, and remained there until I 
had completed my observations on the Terns. I paid no attention to their 
lamentable cries, which were the less piercing that on this occasion I did not 
molest them in the least. Having seated myself on the shelly sand, which 
here formed the only soil, I remained almost motionless for several hours, in 
consequence of which the birds alighted about me, at the distance of only a 
few yards, so that I could plainly see with what efforts and pains the younger 
females deposited their eggs. Their bill was open, and their pantings 
indicated their distress, but after the egg had been expelled, they immedi- 
ately walked off in an awkward manner, until they reached a place where 
they could arise without striking the branches of the bushes near them, when 
they flew away. Here and there, in numerous places within twenty yards 
of me, females,' having their complement of eggs, alighted, and quietly com- 
menced the labour of incubation. Now and then a male bird also settled 
close by, and immediately disgorged a small fish within the reach of the 
female. After some curious reciprocal nods of their heads, which were 
doubtless intended as marks of affection, the caterer would fly off. Several 
individuals, which had not commenced laying their eggs, I saw scratch the 
sand with their feet, in the manner of the common fowl, while searching for 
food. In the course of this operation, they frequently seated themselves in 
the shallow basin to try how it fitted their form, or find out what was still 
wanted to ensure their comfort. Not the least semblance of a quarrel did 
I observe between any two of these interesting creatures ; indeed, they all 
appeared as if happy members of a single family ; and as if to gratify my 
utmost wishes, a few of them went through the process of courtship in my 
presence. The male birds frequently threw their heads over their back as 
it were, in the manner of several species of Gulls ; they also swelled out their 
throats, walked round the females, and ended by uttering a soft puffing sound 
as they caressed them. Then the pair for a moment or two walked round 
each other, and at length rose on wing and soon disappeared. Such is one 
of the many sights it has been my good fortune to witness, and by each of 
them have I been deeply impressed with a sense of the pervading power of 
the Deity. 
The Sooty Tern always lays three eggs as its full number, and in no 
instance, among thousands of the nests which were on the Bird Key, did I 
find one more when the female was sitting close. I was desirous of ascer- 
taining whether the male and the female incubate alternately ; but this I was 
unable to do, as the birds frequently left their eggs for half an hour or even 
three quarters at a time, but rarely longer. This circumstance, together 
with the very slight difference in size and colour between the sexes, was the 
cause of my failure. 
