A VOYAGE TO SPITZBEK&EN, ETC. 155 



temporarily incapacitating the birds from flight. The young 

 when hatched are taken to the marshy ground below. 



LAEIN^. 



11. Sterna macrura. — Abundant, and breeds on the small is- 

 lands, where we found many eggs. 



12. Rissa tridactyla. — Breeds abundantly in the Loomeries. 



13. Lams glaums. — First observed off Bear Island, 73° 35' 

 north lat., the "Burgomaster" was ever in view afterwards, 

 perched on a snow-clad pinnacle, or the peak of a drifting ice 

 floe, his snowy plumage in striking harmony with the frozen 

 scene around. 



14. Pagophila ehurnea. — Tolerably numerous, especially at 

 Magdalena Bay, where a number of stranded ''Krengs" of "White 

 "Whales had drawn together a great number of birds. The "Ice 

 Gulls" were also observed to congregate far inland when a slain 

 Reindeer was being cut up, though none had previously been in 

 sight. The plumage of the Ivory Gull is of a spotless white ; its 

 tone, however, more resembles pure snow than ivory. Beautiful 

 as they are in plumage, they are somewhat deficient in elegance 

 of form, and in their habits decidedly nasty. 



Having observed one or two pairs of these Gulls breeding on 

 the highest part of Rotge's Hill, Magdalena Bay, and knowing 

 the extreme rarity of their eggs, authenticated examples being 

 almost unknown, I made strenuous efforts to reach the nests. 

 These attempts, however, proved hopelessly futile. The crags 

 were utterly inaccessible to any being not endowed with wings, 

 and in the result I had the utmost difficulty in finding a way 

 down again. 



For Xema Salinii and Rhodostethia Rossi we maintained a 

 strict look out, but nothing wars seen of either of these almost 

 mythical species. 



The whole of the Gulls and Terns obtained in Spitzbergen 

 were in full adult plumage, with the exception of a single 

 Glaucus Gull, shot August 4th in Ice Fjord, and which was in 

 the mottled stage. 



