CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 43 



In July, 1868, the writer found this species breeding on small 

 islands in Gull lake, Victoria co., Ontario, and in 1870 on a small 

 rocky island in Gull lake, Barry township, Addington co., Ontario. 

 All the " Gull " lakes in Ontario were no doubt named after this 

 gull. 



The writer made a trip on June 22nd, 1894, to the island in Crane 

 lake, where Mr. Spreadborough obtained the eggs on the 9th of 

 the same month. After a drive of five miles we reached the mar- 

 gin of the lake, and, as the island was a quarter of a mile from 

 shore, we di\-ested ourselves of part of our clothing and waded 

 out — taking care not to stand long enough to sink in the white 

 mud at the bottom. We had scarcely reached the shore before 

 we were surrounded by multitudes of common terns, ring-billed 

 and herring gulls, cormorants and various waders. 



The south end of the island was the lowest, and here the terns 

 had their little nests placed on the ground amongst the short grass. 

 By far the greater number contained three eggs, but none had 

 four. Passing more to the north, and on a higher level, w-e found 

 the ring-billed gull breeding, also in multitudes, and as we 

 approached their nests they rose screaming, and did not cease till 

 we left the island. Ascending a little higher, but passing to the 

 north, we came among the herring gulls but many of their nests 

 were empty, and the downy young were either hidden in the grass 

 or running to the water as fast as possible, while many were swim- 

 ming about. On the highest point of the island we found 29 nests 

 of the double-crested cormorant. These nests, fully a foot high, 

 were built on regular bases of broken sticks. These nests formed 

 a group by themselves, and evidently formed the line of separa- 

 tion between the herring gull and the ring-billed. The sticks had 

 all been carried for a long distance, as no willows grow within a 

 couple of miles of the lake. 



52. Vega Gull. 



Lams vegcB (Palm en) Stejn. 1888. 



Bering sea and adjacent waters, south in winter to California 

 and Japan. {A. 0. U. List.) 



