Vol. xliii.] 40 



of this obstacle it was not possible to get into Ice Fjord until 

 June 28th, and a great part of the south-west coast was still 

 completely blocked by ice in mid-July. Among the more 

 interesting results of the trip were the discovery of new 

 breeding colonies of Turnstone (^Arenaria i. interpres) at 

 different localities in Ice Fjord ; the Einged Plover 

 {Charadrius hiaticula) was also found to be resident in small 

 numbers at several points in the same district. An enormous 

 colony of Brunnich's Gruillemot, Little Grrebe, and Kittiwake 

 was also visited, and the Arctic Puffin (Fratercida a. 

 naumanni) was found breeding on the side of a mountain, 

 well over a mile from the sea ; while other birds were seen 

 flying inland up the valley, evidently to their nesting-places. 

 Another extremely interesting discovery was that of a small 

 colony of two pairs of Sabine's Gull {Xema sabini) breeding 

 among Arctic Terns, while a third pair was seen on the wing 

 off the mouth of Ice Fjord. This species has only twice 

 previously been found nesting in Spitsbergen. Mr. Jourdain 

 exhibited some fine photographs of Arctic bird-life by 

 Major Congreve and Mr. Tucker, including two pictures of 

 the Barnacle-Goose (Branta leucopsis) on the nest, and gave 

 a description of the extraordinary difficulties which must be 

 surmounted by the goslings before they can reach their 

 feeding-grounds in the marshes 1200-1300 feet below the 

 nests. Some of the young of the Pink-footed Goose (Aiiser 

 hrachyrhynchus) can only reach the feeding-ground after 

 being swept along for half a mile in a torrent, in which it 

 would seem impossible for them to survive. In conclusion, 

 Mr. Jourdain stated that while in 1897 Trevor-Battye was 

 only able to catalogue 29 species from Spitsbergen, and 

 Koenig in his great work had raised the number to 58, no 

 fewer than 67 forms were now known to have occurred on 

 the group. 



With reference to Mr. P. F. Bunyard's two communi- 

 cations to the 'Bulletin' (xlii. p. 144, and antea p. 14) on the 

 supposed breeding of the Grey-headed Wagtail {Motacilla 

 flava tJiunhergi) in Kent, the Rev. F. C. R. Joukdain said 



