Notes from Corsica. 47 



167. Sandwich Tern. Sterna cantiaca. 



Not uncommon on the lagoons. A gentleman showed me 

 two that he had shot near Bastia. 



168. White-winged Black Tern. Hijdrochelidon leu- 

 copter a. 



Two seen on 28th May, during some very stormy weather, 

 hawking some small dragon-flies in a rushy pond. Thinking 

 they might nest I did not shoot them. 



169. Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibuyidus. 



Fairly common in the winter. I saw one on 30th April 

 during a storm, in full breeding-plumage. 



170. Common Gull. Larus canus. 

 Fairly common during the winter. 



171. Audouin^s Gull. Larus audoui/ii. 



I found a wounded bird on January 14th during a storm, 

 and not knowing its value, did not keep it. 



172. Yellow-legged Herring-Gull. Larus cachinnans. 

 Very common and resident. I found them nesting in 



numbers on the small islands round the coast. The eggs, two 

 or three in number, vary much in colour, from deep brown 

 to light green. On 2nd May the eggs were in all stages of 

 incubation, a good many young having already left the nest. 



173. Cinereous Shearwater. Puffinus kuhli. 



Fairly plentiful on the small islands round the coast, where 

 I believe, it is only a summer resident. On 2nd. of May I 

 visited their nesting-quarters, and though some birds were 

 uuder the rocks, there were no eggs, while many were flyino- 

 close over the sea in long strings, every now and then their 

 white breasts flashing in the sun. On the 2nd of June I made 

 a more successful trip. My spaniel proved very useful, point- 

 ing the birds as they sat under the rocks ; in every case a fresh 

 white egg was the result. There seems to be an attempt at a 

 nest — a few feathers from the bird^s breast, a small quantity of 

 sticks, and seaweed loosely arranged. These birds proved very 

 disagreeable customers, biting our hands severely, which were 



