Breeding -colony of Larus eburneus. 441 



with two old birds and three young in down, which were all 

 acquired by Herr Foslie, curator of the Tromso Museum, to 

 which he subsequently presented all except a few eggs. 



The nidification of L. eburneus is as yet but imperfectly 

 known, as, up to the present time perhaps, on only two occa- 

 sions have authenticated eggs been obtained. On June 18th, 

 1853, Capt. (now Sir Leopold) M'Clintock, R.N., found a 

 pair breeding at Prince Patrick's Island, one of the Parry 

 group, south-west of Grinnell Land, in 77° 25' N. lat., 116° 

 W. long. (Ibis, 1866, p. 217). The nest was near the beach, 

 and contained one egg, which is preserved in the Dublin 

 Museum. The nest is described as being chiefly formed of 

 moss, with a feather or two, and down. In July 1861, at 

 Murchison Bay, in 80° N. lat., on the west side of north- 

 eastern Spitsbergen, Professor Malmgren discovered a colony 

 breeding in a steep perpendicular limestone cliff", from 50 

 to 150 feet above the sea. On July 30th he obtained from 

 this colony two of the lowest nests, each of which contained 

 one egg much incubated, now preserved in the Riks-Museum, 

 Stockholm. The nests, placed on the ledges of the rocks, 

 were 6 to 9 inches in depth and composed of dry plants, 

 grass, moss, &c., and a few feathers. I have considered that 

 an account of the materials brought home by Capt. Johan- 

 nesen would not be without interest, and Herr Foslie, at my 

 request, has forwarded the chief part of them for exami- 

 nation, further placing at my service the particulars obtained 

 from Capt. Johannesen respecting the situation of the breed- 

 ing-place, &c. I am also indebted to my friend Mr. Land- 

 mark for assistance in measuring and describing the eggs, and 

 to Dr. Kiar for determining the species of mosses of which 

 the nest consisted. Stor-oen is about 9 English miles in 

 length and 6 in breadth ; the greater part of its surface is 

 covered by a glacier, which rises to a height of about 400 

 feet; the remaining portions consist of sand and gravel, with 

 here and there small stones, likewise oases covered with 

 moss ; while in a few places the ground consisted only of 

 rock. 



L. eburneus was breeding on the N.E. side of the island, 



