9<> BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS 



In the spring and early summer this species is on the move northward to 

 its breeding haunts, and beginning to assume its nnptial dress, which is identical 

 in both sexes, which in size, however, exhibit great variation ; yet the females in 

 a colony are, as a rule, smaller than the males. In breeding plumage the body 

 is pure white everywhere except the back, wing-coverts and wings, which are pale 

 pearl-blue ; the primaries are pale pearl-blue at their bases and on the external web, 

 with a long white termination ; the tips of the scapulars and secondaries white ; 

 the large and strong bill gamboge yellow, with a bright vermilion spot on the 

 angle of the lower mandible ; ring round the eyes yellow ; legs and feet pale flesh 

 colour. Length of male 30 inches; wing 18; ; tail 7^ ; tarsus 3;- middle toe 

 with its claw, a|. There is, however, much individual variation. Sabine records 

 a specimen 32 inches with a tarsus 3^. 



According to Professor Newton, Dr. Malmgren found this Gull choosing the 

 " highest part of the cliffs for nidification. He further found it breeding high up 

 on the mountain sides, apart from any other species. In Loom Bay, he also tells 

 us, he has seen it swoop down like a Falcon on a young Dovekie \Uria grylle\ 

 seize it in its beak, and eat it on a projecting part of the nearest rocky cliff on 

 shore, where many skeletons are witness to its former rapacity. I have before 

 mentioned that I saw a Burgomaster attack a young Briinnich's Gullemot." 



The nest is, as a rule, a heap of seaweed or vegetable debris piled on a rock ; 

 if situated on the ground it is formed by a hole scraped in the ground and lined 

 with grass or seaweed ; on the barren tundras it is composed of sand heaps 

 hollowed on the top. 



According to Professor Newton, it frequently breeds in Greenland by itself; 

 but as a rule in company with Kittiwakes and Iceland Gulls. 



With regard to the nesting of this species, Mr. Trevor Battye in his interest- 

 ing " Ice-bound on Kolguev " observes that " the nests of the Glaucous Gulls which 

 we visited were situated on the highest ridge of the outer sand banks to the south 

 of Scharok Harbour. They were visible from a very long distance, and proved 

 to be lumps formed of sand mixed with sea-weeds and great quantities of hydrozoa 

 (Sertularia and others) on which flourished Arenaria peploides. The sand had in 

 many cases originally collected round drifted timber, and the birds had taken 

 advantage of this to raise upon it a pile some two feet and more in height. As 

 the Sainoyeds rob these nests constantly, one wonders that any young get off. 

 Hyland was so violently mobbed by these birds, which stooped right down at his 

 head, that he shot two ' in self defence.' ' 



Three eggs are the usual complement ; they are oval in shape and about 

 3 inches long by 2s in diameter. Their colour is pale yellowish- grey dotted with 



