Mr. R. Swinhoe's Ornithological Notes made at Chefoo. 139 



patches to sides. Legs and toes fine greenish yellow, greyish 

 at joints, and greyish horn on nails. Bill from forehead 

 2*1, from gape 2'92, depth at base '72. Bare portion of tibia 

 •9. Tarse 22. Middle toe and claw 2*05. Wing-tip ex- 

 tending 2"5 beyond tail-tip, and 45 beyond tertiaries. 



Adult female { ? on dissection) . — Length 17"50 inches. Wing 

 13*75, 2 beyond tail-tip,. 4 beyond tertiaries. Bill 2, from 

 gape 2'6. Tibia same as in male. Tarse 2. Middle toe and 

 claw 1-75. Tail 5.25. 



Individuals of either sex vary in length of toes, and in their 

 greenness and yellowness of legs and feet. One male and one 

 female of six specimens are advanced towards breeding. The 

 other four are very backward. 



The custom's cruiser ' Feihoo ' put into Chefoo after visit- 

 ing the Shantung promontory, whither she had gone to ar- 

 range for the erection of a lighthouse. Mr. Kirkwood, her 

 second officer, presented me with three eggs of a Gull, taken 

 by himself and party from nests on the adjoining island, 

 called ^^Alcestie." 



Mr. E. V. Brennan, chief ofiicer of the ' Feihoo,' who was 

 one of the landing-party, gave me the following particulars 

 about the eggs : — " Alcestie island,'' he said, '' was covered 

 with Gulls, and their nests were numerous, many containing 

 young covered with greyish down, without any white on them. 

 There were also many with eggs ; but all the eggs nearly that 

 they took had been more or less sat upon. Each nest con- 

 tained either two eggs or two young birds. He did not see 

 any with more. The nests were small, being about 9 or 10 

 inches in entire diameter, with little outer rim, consisting of 

 flattish saucers, composed of straw and dried grass picked off 

 the land, with no seaweed or feathers. He recognized my 

 specimens of L. crassirostris as being of the same species. 

 His visit to the island was on the 10th of June. The eggs 

 were taken each from a separate nest. The Gulls were very 

 daring in the protection of their property, rising above him 

 and pouncing down at his head. The three eggs all bear a 

 strong resemblance to the lower figure of the plate opposite 

 p. 495 of Hewitson, being that of L. canus. Ours, however, 

 are more strictly ovate, and average 2*5 by 1*75. 



