LARIDAE—TERNS. 259
over the water near Languard Fort. It would appear that these birds do not
(all at least) leave this coast in the winter. I remember being the companion of
Henry Doubleday when he shot some near Walton-on-the-Naze, in December,
many years ago."
Dr. Laver describes it as common in the Colchester and Paglesham districts,
though he never knew it to breed in either. The Rev. J.C.Atkinson writes me that
in his boyhood, some sixty years ago, it nested not uncommonly on the Wig-
borough and Peldon Saltings. He has found its nest on Shingle Hill, and has
seen it on the Goldhanger Marshes, and elsewhere, in later years, during the
breeding season.
Roseate Tern : Sterna dougalli.
An uncommon summer visitor to Britain. Its breeding-distri-
bution is very local. I only know of a single record of its occurrence
in the county, though it has doubtless been overlooked on other
occasions.
Mr. Owen Boyle saw one at Languard Point, at 4.45 a.m., on June 1st, 1883
(43. v.).
Little Tern : Sterna minuta. Locally, " Little Sea Swallow."
A summer migrant which used to breed commonly on the Essex
coast, though I only know of a single breeding colony at the present
time.
One was shot
at Maldon in or
about 1838. (C.
Walford—19. 47).
Mr. Clarke speaks
of it (24) as "com-
mon on the Essex
coast "about 1845.
Mr. Bond met
with it commonly
at Southend early
in Sept., 1842 (23.
39). Mr. A. H.
Smee (34. 1921)
shot an adult and
three immature
birds at Leigh on
Sept. 18th, 1869.
Mr. Kerry says
(40. i. 52) that in
1876 a considerable number bred on Languard Fort Common, and at Harwich he
describes it as " very common." He adds that
" it breeds every summer in great numbers among the shingle on the sea-shore
between Harwich and Walton-on-the-Naze. They now chiefly nest on the Harwich
side of the Handford Water, probably on account of the persecution to which
they are subjected by the visitors from Walton, who kill a great many dur-
ing the nesting season, notwithstanding the provisions of the Wild Birds Protec-
tion Act."