1922.] Birds of Spitsbergen and Bear Island. 173 



Spifsbertren it is common, breeding in colonies on many of 

 the islands, even in the extreme north. It also nests on 

 shingle-banks and spits on the mainland in one or two places. 

 We found it plentiful on Moffen Island on 8 July. At Liefdo 

 Bay specimens were observed and shot on the breeding- 

 ground early in July, still retaining more or less white on 

 the forehead and with black beak and blackish- red feet. In 

 the great majority of cases the clutch consisted of two eggs 

 only, but we met with a few instances in which three had 

 been laid. 



44. Xema sabini (Sabine). Sabine's Gull. 



Nansen saw one at 83° N. off Spitsbergen in July 1896, 

 and Ri3mer and Schaudinn on 8 August, 1898, found about 

 eight pairs apparently breeding on Stor-Oen, east of North- 

 East Land. Koenig's expedition obtained a pair of birds 

 and two eggs on a flat island in Kings Bay on 6-7 July, 

 1907, and W. S. Bruce also recorded one bird in the same 

 year from Prince Charles Foreland. In 1908 one was shot 

 by Koenig off the Foreland on 19 June and another seen in 

 Sassen Bay on 22 June. J. S. Huxley reports a small 

 gull, seen at close range on 7 July, 1921, near Ivichard 

 Lagoon, Prince ('lurries Foreland, which may have been an 

 immature bird of this species. 



[Rhodostethia rosea (MacGill.). Ross' Gull. 



Reported as seen north of Spitsbergen by Ross and in 

 Torell's work from the Hinlopen Straits, but probably due to 

 mistaken identification.] 



■45. Larus argentatus argentatus Pontopp. Herring-Gull. 

 One obtained 1 July, 1908, near "Walrus Harbour by 

 Koenig's Expedition, the only record. 



46. Larus niarinus L. Great Black-backed Gull. 



Near Bear Island, Koenig saw one on 11 June, 1908. In 

 1921 v/e met with two pairs evidently breeding on skerries 

 north of Walrus Harbour, and on 19 July, Longstaff and 

 Powell took the boat out to the nearer rock and obtained 



