210 LARIDJ2. 



Lams gelastes, Thienem. 



Larus gelastes, Thien. Fortpflanz. ges. Vog. tab. xc. fig. 4 (1845-54) ; 

 Saunders, Ibis, 1871, p. 400; Bree, Birds JEur. 2nd ed. v. p. 72, 

 pi. (1876) 5 Dresser, Birds JEur. viii. p. 389 (1878) ; Oates ed. 

 Hume, Nests fy Eggs 2nd. B. iii. p. 294 (1890) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, 

 p. 115; Sounders, Cat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 230 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l. \. p. 140 (1899). 



Gelastes lambruschinii, Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 72. fig. 1 (1855-63). 



The eggs of the Slender-billed Gull are fairly uniform in colour. 

 They are of a broad, pointed oval form. The ground of the 

 majority of the eggs is pure white, but a few have it of a pale cream- 

 colour, and others of a pinkish buff-colour. The surface-markings, 

 consisting of spots and blotches, are frequently black ; at times 

 yellowish brown, chocolate-brown, or even reddish brown. The 

 underlying markings are of a pale purple and very conspicuous. On 

 many examples, the surface-markings are small and evenly dis- 

 tributed over the shell ; on others, they consist of huge blotches as 

 well as spots, and they are frequently massed together at the broad 

 end, where they form an ill-defined cap or zone. Some specimens 

 are marked with lines and scrawls. The eggs measure from 2'1 to 

 2-27 in length, and from 1-45 to 1-6 in breadth. 



2. South Spain. Lord Lilford [P.], 



2. San Lucar, Spain, Mav (Ruiz). Saunders Coll. 

 4. Delta of the Danube (T. Holland). Seebohm Coll. 



3. Black Sea, June ( W. II. Cullen). Seebohra Coll. 



2. Dobrudscha, 30th June (W. H.C.). Dr. C. R. Bree [P.]. 

 1. Dobrudscha, 1st July ( W. H. C.). Dr. C. R. Bree [P.]. 



3. Dobrudscha, 10th June (H. See- Seebohm Coll. 



bohm). 



16. Delta of the Volga (Henke). Seebohm Coll. 



1. Smyrna. Saunders Coll. 



2. Lake Menzaleh, Egypt (E. C. Saunders Coll. 



Taylor). 

 7. Abdullah Bank, Persian Gulf, W. D. Gumming, Esq. [P.]. 



April. 

 2. Osmarra, Mekran Coast, 28th May Saunders Coll. 



(E. A. Butler}. 

 21. Osmarra, 28th May (E. A. B.}. Hume Coll. 



Larus novae-hollandiae, Steph. 



Bruchigavia jamesonii, Gould, Handb. Birds Amir. ii. p. 387 (1865); 



Campbell, Nests fy Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 65 (1883). 

 Bruchigavia gouldi, Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 388 (1865). 

 Xema novae-hollandise, North, Nests Sf Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 851, pi. xx. 



fig. 4 (1889). 

 Larus novse-hollandiae, Le Souef, Ibis, 1895, p. 421 ; Saunders, Cat. 



Birds B. M. xxv. p. 235 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 141 (1899). 



The small series of eggs of the Silver Gull in the Collection shows 

 that there is considerable variation in their colour. They are of 

 a rather broad oval form, about half of the specimens being pointed 

 and the others blunt. The ground varies from pale green to pale 



