504 Mr. A. Newton on the Birds of Spitsbergen. 



Messrs. Evans and Sturge describe it as being, in 1855, rather 

 numerous and breeding in Coal Bay, where my companions 

 last year searched for it in vain. Dr. Malmgren in his former 

 voyage found it in "Wide Bay, Brandywine Bay, and Loom Bay, 

 and, as I have before mentioned, obtained the specimen I saw 

 with him far up the North Fjord of Ice Sound. 



One of the two eggs from the only nest found by Messrs. 

 Evans and Sturge was kindly presented to me. It is rather 

 small for the general size of the bird when compared with others 

 of the genus, measuring 1-65 inch by 1*23, but of course is 

 thoroughly lagopodine in character. I do not think that any 

 other eggs of the bird have been brought from Spitsbergen. 



As this Ptarmigan has been described as a distinct species, 

 and I cannot positively prove, however strongly I may believe, 

 that it is identical with L. rupestris, I have no alternative here 

 but to consider it to have been properly separated, and I ac- 

 cordingly retain for it the specific name applied to it by Mr. 

 Gould. That bestowed upon it in the French work cited, 

 though adopted by Dr. Malmgren, must, I think, be disallowed. 

 In the first place the figure is, so far as I am aware, unaccom- 

 panied by any description ; and secondly, it was only regarded 

 by the anonymous authority (whoever he may have been) who 

 superintended the lettering of the plate as a variety of " La- 

 gopus alpina." Consequently there is no law, in any recognized 

 code of nomenclature that I am acquainted with, by virtue of 

 which the name " hyperboreus " should stand as specific. 



5. iEaiALiTEs HiATicuLA (L.), Malmgren, 1864, p. 384. 

 Charadrius hiaticula, Ross, p. 193 ; Torell, p. 56 ; Malmgren, 

 1863, p. 100. C. morinellus, Keilhau, p. 163 ? 



Sir James Boss states that a bird of this species was killed 

 by Mr. M'Cormick in Hecla Cove; and it may be inferred from 

 what he says that General Sabine also obtained' a specimen in 

 Spitsbergen. Dr. Malmgren mentions that Professors Torell 

 and Nordenskjold found on one of the Seven Islands in lat. 

 80° 45' N., a brood of Ringed Plovers, which had probably been 

 bred on one of these, the most northern islets of the known 

 world. An old bird was killed from it, and is now in the Stock- 

 holm Museum. He also states that this species is known to the 



