Mr. A. Newton on the Birds of Spitsbergen. 507 



10. Pagophila eburnea (Phipps) ; Evans and Sturge, 

 p. 171 ; Malmgren, 1864, p. 385. "Rathsher," Marten, p. 77, 

 tab. L. fig. a. Larus ehurneus, Phipps, p. 187; Scoresby, p. 535 ; 

 Ross, p. 194; Keilhau, p. 163; Torell, p. 64; Malmgren, 1863, 

 p. 102. 



The Ivory- Gull, first scientifically described by Lord Mul- 

 grave, is, of all others, the bird of which any visitor to Spits- 

 bergen will carry away the keenest recollection. One can only 

 wish that a creature so fair to look upon was not so foul a feeder. 

 In my preceding notes, I have already several times mentioned 

 this species, I have only now to add that, contrary to the expe- 

 rience of almost all other observers, I once saw an Ivory-Gull of 

 its own accord deliberately settle on the water and swim. This 

 was in the Stor Fjord. There is a very great variation in the 

 size of difierent specimens of this bird, which is not at all to be 

 attributed to sex or, I think, to age ; but I do not for a moment 

 countenance the belief in a second species, which some ornitho- 

 logists have endeavoured to establish under the name of P. h^a- 

 chytarsa. 



Some years ago I had the pleasure of announcing, at a meeting 

 of the Zoological Society (P. Z. S., 1861, p. 401), that the 

 Swedish Expedition to Spitsbergen in that year had obtained 

 some eggs of this bird, the first well-authenticated specimens 

 brought to Europe. I here transcribe what Dr. Malmgren, the 

 fortunate finder of these examples, says about them : — 



"On the 7th July, 1861, 1 found on the north shore of Mur- 

 chison Bay, lat. 80° N., a number of Ivory-Gulls established on 

 the side of a steep limestone precipice, some hundred feet high, 

 in company with Larus tridactylus and L. glaucus. The last- 

 named occupied the higher zones of the precipice. Larus ehur- 

 neus, on the other hand, occupied the niches and clefts lower 

 down, at a height of from fifty to a hundred feet. I could plainly 

 see that the hen-birds were sitting on their nests ; but these to 

 me were altogether inaccessible. Circumstances did not permit 

 me before the 30th July to make an attempt, with the help of a 

 long rope and some necessary assistance, to get at the eggs. 

 On the day just named, I succeeded, with the assistance of 

 three men, in reaching two of the lowest in situation, which 



