324 Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain on the 



211. Larus ARGENTATUS cACHiNNANsPall. Mediterranean 

 Herring-Gull. 



Local name : Corbo marino. 



A common resident, breeding in colonies on tlie small 

 islands round the coasts. Some of these colonies are of 

 considerable size, and the eggs are taken in great numbers 

 by the fishermen, who throw all those that are incubated into 

 the sea, so that the birds may be forced to lay again. The 

 latter seem to kno^' what to expect, and come to meet the 

 boats with a chorus of expostulatory cries. The normal 

 breeding-season begins early in April, but on accov\nt of this 

 persecution fresh eggs may be taken till June. The eggs are 

 two or three in number, and shew considerable variation in 

 size and colouring. Average size of fifty-seven Corsican eggs, 

 70-47 X 49-48 mm.; max. 762x51-5 and 70-3 x 53-5, min. 

 65'5 X 45 3. A clutch of two dwarf eggs measured C3-5 X 

 48 and CO-3 x 4G-3 mm. 



212. Larus ruscus L. Lesser Black-backed Gull. 

 Recorded by Giglioli as seen at Bastia. 



213. Larus audouini Payraud. Audouin's Gull. 

 Resident, breeding in small colonies on the islets in the 



Straits of Bonifacio. A specimen in the British Museum 

 is said to have come from Corsica, and Whitehead found a 

 wounded bird during a storm on January 14, but, not 

 knowing its value at the time, did not keep it. In his 

 article in ' The Ibis,' 1902, pp. 491-499, Arrigoni states that 

 this species is apparently rarely met with on the western 

 coasts of Corsica, but that six specimens have been killed 

 on Elba (in January, J\Iarch, May, August, and December), 

 and that he believes it occurs on Capraia, Pianosa, and 

 Monte Cristo. Readers of Lord Lilford's papers will 

 remember his search for it in the Straits of Bonifacio (see 

 'Ibis,' 1887, pp. 280-281), and there is no doubt that a 

 breeding-colony existed at that time on Spargi and 

 Spargiotto, and most probably it has bred also, as Arrigoni 

 states, on Caprera and Maddalena. Parrot received one, 

 killed on May 31 near Isolilla, Gulf of Ajaccio. The small 

 colony of about five pairs which 1 had the good fortune to 



