The Oologists' Record, March 1, 1923. 



but I think that in the course of a short sojourn with her we had 

 an experience with the Dotterel which must surely be unequalled. 



With the possible exxeption of the Greenshank, I have met with 

 no wader in Britain which has given me one tithe of the pure 

 pleasure and delight that the Dotterel of the remote hills has given. 



NOTES ON MY EGGS OF THE ACCIPITRES. 



By J. G. Gordon. 



Mr. Skinner has asked me to follow up the interesting account 

 of his fine collection of eggs of the FringiUidce, which appeared in 

 the December number of the " Record," with some notes on my 

 Accipitres. I feel, however, that I am somewhat bold in doing so, 

 as I can only muster 172 species and forms all told. Kirke Swann, 

 in his " Synopsis of the Accipitres," published in 1922, enumerates 

 no less than 682, so I have just a fourth of the known forms. 



This order has always interested me especially, on account of 

 the bold and fearless character of many species, the glorious colouring 

 of the eggs of the Peregrines, Ospreys, etc., and the dangers and 

 difficulties to be overcome in obtaining them. It is only since the 

 war that I have really niade an effort to specialize, but it is no 

 easy task to get together a collection at all representative. I 

 regret to say that there are still some clutches bearing the unsatis- 

 factory data of the German dealers ; many Indian eggs also had 

 this fault. All these are gradually being replaced, and nothing 

 satisfies me now but full standard data. As to preparation, I , 

 do not yet limit myself to the pinholes of our friends in the U.S.A. 



The majority of the specimens have come direct from the 

 original collectors, and they have an interest second only to those 

 of my own taking. But in many countries eggs of this order are 

 among the hardest to come at, and one needs a stout heart and 

 undying hope if the collection is to grow at all. Promises are 

 many, but the results often small, and I have sent overseas enough 

 blowpipes and drills to stock a respectable store. On the other 

 hand, I am much indebted to many friends, both at home and 

 abroad, for their generosity in filling my blanks. I will now 

 enumerate my species, with notes on the more interesting, and it 

 will be seen at once that there are many easy things still to get, 

 African forms being especially lacking. The arrangement and order 

 followed is that of Kirke Swann's " Synopsis of the Accipitres," 



A3 



