A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK four at one shot, which are in the Dyke Road Museum at Brighton. A flock of eight was seen on Breydon 22 April, igoi {Zoologist, 1901, p. 88), and this bird is perhaps now an annual summer visitant there, but it has only once been identified on the Suffolk coast or inland waters, when two were seen on Fritton Lake in the year mentioned above (Leathes). 240. Gull-billed Tern. Sterna ang/ica, Mon- tagu) A rare summer visitant of which there is no record except from Breydon, where eight or nine have been shot, the last occurrence being on 5 September, 1896 [Zoologist, 1897, p. 132). A Breydon specimen shot in April, 1849, is in the Bury Museum. On the wing it would be difficult to distinguish this bird from the more common Sandwich tern. 241. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas. Mr. Yarrell states that three or four of this species were once seen at Aldeburgh and one of them shot. As a rare summer visitant it has occurred several times on Breydon, where one was seen on two successive days in July, 1901 [Zoologist, 1902, p. 91), and another 24 July, 1902 [Zoologist, 1903, p. 132). The geographical range of this fine species is very extensive both in the old and new world (Saunders' Manual, p. 642). 242. Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca (J. F. Gmelin) This is the largest of the five species of terns which still breed in Britain, but in Suffolk it is now only a visitant, though there is some evidence that it used to breed. Bewick quotes from Latham that ' it is pretty common on the Suffolk and Kentish coasts in the summer months, breeds there in the month of June,' and this would be towards the close of the eighteenth century. About fifty years later in 1846 or thereabouts Mr. T. M. Spalding in his Catalogue previously referred to mentions it simply as ' summer visitor,' using precisely the same words for the wryneck. It formerly bred near the Kentish port from which its name is derived, and still breeds abundantly on the Fame Islands and less numerously in other places in England. As there could hardly be a locality better suited to it than the Orford beach, with a tidal river on one side and the sea on the other, it is quite possible that like the oyster- catcher it may return to its old breeding- grounds, especially as it enjoys the benefit of the strictest protection on the Fame Islands and also of the extension of the close-time to I September, so with the increase in its numbers new colonies may be formed. The Sandwich tern can be recognized by its large size, black legs and perfectly white under- parts, and its very beautiful eggs are unlike those of any other British bird. 243. Roseate Tern. Sterna dougalliy Mon- tagu In Mr. Spalding's list just referred to he simply mentions ' Roseate Tern. Orford.' This seems to indicate that he regarded that locality as a regular haunt, and he was so careful an observer, and the bird is one so easily recognized alive or dead, that there need be no hesitation in admitting the bird to the Suffolk list. It probably bred, and is believed to have done so in Norfolk recently (Patterson). Mr. Booth saw one on Breydon, 26 May, 1 87 1 [Birds of Norfolk, iii. 300). 244. Common Tern. Sterna fluviatilis, Nau- mann. Locally, Cob, Sea-swallow. This lovely bird is a summer migrant, breed- ing in fair numbers on the now ' protected area ' of Orford beach, where it is on the increase. Thirty or forty years ago the nests used to be mercilessly robbed by people who went down with dogs trained to find the eggs, and as recently as 1878 over one hundred were taken in a day. Mr. Hele states that they used also to breed at Thorpe. The Orford terns have been seen to mob a hare which ran across their breeding ground (C. J. Palmer). 245. Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura (yiAnvaiinn) A spring and autumn visitant which may have bred, but there is no absolute proof of its having done so. It is very like the com- mon tern, but has a longer tail, shorter legs, a smaller bill and underparts of a darker grey. The young of the year are not easy to dis- tinguish, and the legs are the best guide, being pinkish in this species and yellowish-brown in the common tern. 246. Little Tern. Sterna minuta, Linn. Locally, Reek or Ric, from its cry. This graceful little bird is a summer migrant, arriving early in May and breeding on the Orford beach. There is also a colony on a shingle bank near Southwold (Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain). Few birds have bene- fited more by the protection extended to eggs and parents during the last few years than the terns of the east coast. Both the com- mon and lesser terns are occasionally met with inland at the time of the spring migra- 210
