CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS. 127 



with various tints of colour, but so faint and indeterminate as to 

 appear as though they were seen through the shell and proceeded 

 from the inside, like those marks frequently observed on white eggs, 

 occasioned by pieces of the yolk adhering to the shell. The egg 

 figured is a pretty example of the species, and is more spotted than 

 common. It is very difficult to procure good specimens, and unless 

 they are taken quite fresh they become stained and dirted through- 

 out, in the same manner as the eggs of the Grebes, and cannot 

 afterwards be cleaned." 



An egg of the Cormorant and one of the Shag, white and " of 

 a soft chalky substance, which is easily rubbed off, leaving a hard 

 greenish shell beneath :" these, as is well known, soon become 

 daubed all over, as in those of the Grebes. 



And now we enter upon the large natural family of the Laridae, 

 containing the Gulls, Terns, and Feazers ; for the Albatross and Pe- 

 trels, in the writer's opinion, form another and very different one, 

 as, indeed, is pretty well'intimated by their eggs alone. We com- 

 mence with three figures of those of the Sandwich Tern, than 

 which, observes our author, " nothing can exceed the beauty and 

 variety." The specimens are very well chosen, and admirably re- 

 presented. 



Next we have two examples of the egg of the Roseate Tern, a 

 good deal unlike ; excessive variableness in the tint and markings 

 of the eggs amounting in this group almost to a generic character. 

 " They seem, from the specimens I have examined," says Mr. Hew- 

 itson, " to be more constantly of a light colour, and more covered 

 with minute dots than those of the other Terns ; most of the speci- 

 mens much more so than fig. 2; whilst fig. 1, possessing more of 

 the Tern-like character, is of rare occurrence." 



Three figures of those of the Arctic Tern succeed, equally unlike 

 each other, and as exquisitely drawn and coloured. " It is quite im- 

 possible," says the author, " to give any idea of these by descrip- 

 tion. I would propose, during the progress of this work, to draw 

 another plate of the eggs of this, as well as of the Sandwich Tern." 

 We wish he would do the same in many other instances. 



Three eggs of the little Richel Tern, fSt. minuia), differing 

 much less remarkably, figs, I and 2 shewing, as the author states, 

 the common appearance, and agreeing with all we have seen: " fig. 

 3 is a variety not often met with." 



Three of the Black Tern, or Viralve, as it is now sometimes call- 

 ed. These differ a good deal, and were selected from an extensive 

 series of the egg.s, " as affording the most opposite varieties." It 

 is superfluous, perhaps, to add that they are faithfully executed. 



Then follow three of the Mew Gull, ( Larus canusj, *' selected 

 from upwards of two thousand specimens, gathered from one island 

 only ; and chosen, not because they present the most singular and 

 opposite varieties, but to give the best idea of the general colour- 



Two Kittiwake's eggs, accompanied by some interesting descrip- 



