20 BIRD LIFE ON ISLAND AND SHORE 
in sunshine, dappled with the shade of sentinel 
stationary birds, erstwhile in calm, dimpled with 
nest-cups, had become almost at once a shadow- 
less smooth slope. Most of the chicks had hatched, 
but were tiny creatures who lay as minute hum- 
mocks, the sand grit uninterruptedly racing over 
their small bodies. More, slightly older, missing 
the hollow of their nests, were hustled before the 
gale. Too desperate for discrimination, they 
rushed to the shelter of every Tern that alighted 
in their vicinity. In the babel of sound and con- 
fusion of skirmishing, all personal interest was 
lost in special parents. Even amongst old birds 
only the smallest minority seemed to attempt to 
particularise. I have seen chicks compelled to 
quit a stance, sometimes even castigated with the 
old bird’s bill. I remember one youngster, par- 
ticularly obdurate and determined not to vacate 
its coign of vantage, fairly picked up, lifted a 
couple of feet above the din, and dropped a yard 
away. The largest crouching chicks could some- 
times and in some degree breast the storm ; rising 
to seek shelter they were at once rolled over. The 
actual site indeed of the Ternery must have been 
moved some feet or yards northward, and noting 
the confusion and turmoil, listening to the cease- 
less screeching and screaming, and witnessing the 
indiscriminate celerity with which the homeless 
chicks sought shelter, it was impossible to believe 
