﻿November rftA, /?o/.] Proceedings. xv 



Blackbacked, and the Glaucous Gulls which have been kindly 

 lent to me by Mr. Herbert Massey, of this city, and I see no 

 reason why this type like the blue type should not occur in all 

 the species. This change of colours in the eggs of Gulls may be 

 of interest, and will probably show that since there is no 

 necessity for protective coloration that they are subject to 

 remarkable variations from the type. 



The Scmdwich Tern is another exception to the theory of 

 protective coloration. The bird itself is very prominent, and 

 deposits its eggs often upon the bare sand or shingle. This 

 species shews little anxiety with regard to its eggs, and often 

 breaks them in its precipitate flight on being disturbed in its 

 breeding haunts. The eggs vary in colour from a pure white to 

 the darker shades of brown, being invariably spotted and 

 blotched, whilst the brown eggs to a certain extent partake of the 

 colour of the sand, the lighter coloured ones are nearly always 

 conspicuous, as is also the young of the species. The eggs are 

 occasionally, though rarely, deposited in a well formed nest, and 

 it would appear from its carelessness in the selection, of its 

 breeding site and from the light colour of its eggs that a factor 

 other than protective coloration has influenced its breeding 

 habits. 



The Sandwich Tern and the Blacklieaded Gull often breed 

 together in perfect harmony, and being very pugnacious, protect 

 themselves by uniting in force to drive off their enemies. 



The Little Te?-?i usually deposits upon the sea beech its eggs, 

 which greatly resemble the sand or shingle upon which they are 

 laid. The eggs are like small editions of those of the Sandwich 

 Tern, but generally inclined to the darker tints. The lighter 

 are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the broken shells 

 with which the nest is often surrounded. I have noted that in 

 a wind-storm many of the eggs are destroyed possibly by the 

 bird in its endeavour to rescue them from being buried in the 

 drifting sand. This species is weak and defenceless, and always 

 easily detected in its breeding haunts, and except for the colour 

 of its eggs has nothing that would serve as a protection from its 



