EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 113 



The nest is a very careless structure, generally composed of dead 

 grass and seaweed, and three appears to be the full complement of 

 eggs, which are usually laid during the first half of June. They 

 vary in ground-colour from pale brown to pale olive-brown and 

 pale bluish-green. The surface-spots are dark brown, occasionally 

 approaching black, and the underlying spots are brownish-grey. 

 The spots vary in many eggs from the size of a pea downwards, 

 and are nearly evenly distributed over the surface ; but occasion- 

 ally they are large bold blotches, principally collected round the 

 large end of the egg, and often confluent. A very handsome 

 variety, presumed to be of this species, is obtained at Vardo. The 

 ground-colour is pale brick -red, and the underlying spots are 

 violet-grey. Occasionally the spots are well-defined, but generally 

 they are obscure and distributed over the surface. The eggs vary 

 in length from 3*3 to 2 - 8 inches, and in breadth from 2 - l to 1/9 

 inch. 



Eggs of the Glaucous Gull are indistinguishable from those of 

 the Great Black-backed Gull, and small examples resemble large 

 eggs of the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull. 



THE ICELAND GULL. 



{Lams leucopterus.) 



Plate 33, Fig. 3. 



This species is only a winter visitor to our shores, and one 

 which appears with great irregularity. It is only a winter visitor 

 to Iceland, but is found breeding in Greenland and on Jan Mayen 

 Island. The remarks published on the nest and eggs of this 

 species in my " History of British Birds" refer to Larus glaucus, 

 as Mr. Howard Saunders has shown that the Gull from Alaska is 

 that species, and not true L. leucopterus. 



The eggs appear to be three in number when the full clutch is 

 laid, and they vary in colour from pale greyish-buff to buffish- 

 brown and pale olive. The surface-markings, varying in size 

 from a large pea to a speck, are rich brown or pale brown in 

 colour, and are pretty evenly distributed over the entire surface of 

 the egg. The underlying markings are large, numerous, and 

 conspicuous, and are violet-grey. Some eggs are much more 



H 



