Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlviii. (1904), No, %%. 41 



These eggs are large and measure from 73 to 80 mm. in 

 length, and from 50 to 55 mm. in width. I have five eggs 

 of this species in my collection. 



Leucophaeiis scoresbit, "The Dolphin." Specimens of 

 this gull were fairly common in the neighbourhood of 

 Stanley, Port Louis, and also at Roy Cove. None were 

 seen after the end of February. At Stanley and Port 

 Louis both adult and immature specimens were always to 

 be seen during the months of November and December 

 near the slaughter-houses in quest of offal. At Roy 

 Cove I have frequently observed them walking on the 

 floating beds of kelp thrown into the numerous coves 

 after gales of wind, feeding on crustaceans attracted 

 thither by the decaying sea weeds. I have one egg of 

 this species in my collection. It was given to me by a 

 very observing working man. I was unable to find out 

 how many eggs this species lays in its nest, but my 

 informant thought three to be the number. As with the 

 rest of the gull tribe, the eggs are laid about Christmas 

 time. This single egg is almost oval in outline. The 

 ground colour is olive-brown, and the markings are dark 

 chocolate, these blotches being uniformly scattered over 

 the whole surface. It measures 46 mm. in length, and 

 35 mm. in breadth. 



Larus doinimcamis, " Black-backed Gull." The com- 

 monest gull in the whole archipelago and universally 

 distributed. This species builds in rookeries and does 

 not appear to frequent the same spot for breeding pur- 

 poses two seasons running. Two or three eggs are laid 

 in a roughly constructed nest of grass and twigs, which 

 is usually placed on some sloping ground or on the ledge 

 of a cliff or bank. I have eight eggs in my collection, 

 and no two of them agree either in markings or ground 

 coloration. The ground colour of these eggs varies from 



