NEWTON ON BIRDS IN GREENLAND. 105 



29. Sterna Himndo. Arctic Tern. ** Imerkoteilak." 

 Breeds in various suitable loc^ilities on l>oth coasts of Green- 

 land, as well as on the western shores of Baffin's Sea. 



30. Xema sabinii. Sabine's Gull. ' 



Said not to breed further south than lat. 7o^ N. and appears 

 not to be common in Danish Greenland, but was found by Sir 

 E. Sabine breeding in great numbers on three small islands in 

 lat. 75° 30' \_qu. Sabine Islands in ]Melville Bay ?] associated with 

 the Arctic Tern. Many specimens were obuiined in June and 

 July at Winter Island and Aulitiwick, where subsequently flocks 

 were seen flying high, as if migrating to the southward. Has 

 been found breeding in North-western America, but nothing has 

 yet been recorded of its habits in that quarter. Sii* E. Sabine 

 informed Eichardson that he killed two in Spitsbergen, and the 

 latter says that the specimen brought thence was in full summer- 

 plumage, but it has not since been observed by others in tlwt 

 country. Dr. von Middendorff found it breeding abundantly at 

 the mouth of the Taimyr, again in company with the Arctic Tern. 

 The fact of these two species resorting to the same spot in 

 locjilities so far apart should put observers on their guard j^iinst 

 the possibility of confounding the nests and eggs of each. The 

 eggs of this Gull are extremely rare in collections, and such as 

 have been seen do not so much difler from those of the Tern 

 (which ai*e common enough) as to ob-viate the need of the most 

 careful identification. This Gull is of small size and may be 

 distinguished from others by its grey head, black colhir and forked 

 tail. From the Ai'ctic Tern it may be known by its stouter 

 build, less pointed wings and tail, and black bill and feet, the 

 former having a yellow tip — the Tern having the bill and feet 

 red, while in it the dark colour of the head is confined to a cap 

 and does not extend below the eyes. 



31. Hhodostethia rosea. Cuueate- tailed or Ross's Gull. 

 One of the rarest of birds, to be distinguished from other Gulls 



by its small (almost Dove-like) black bill, white head and neck, 

 with a black ring round the latter, and wedge-shaped tail — the 

 plumage, especially of the lower parts, deeply tiuged with ix>se- 

 colour. Four specimens have been received from Greenland by 

 the Museum of Copenhagen, of which three were shot in Disco 

 Bay, and the fourth near the Sukkertop, while a fifth is believed 

 to have been obtained by Holboll. Originally discovered at 

 Alagnak, in Melville Peninsula, where two examples were killed. 

 Nothing whatever is known of the breeding-habits of this species, 

 and only three examples are believed to exist in this country, one 

 of which is said to have been killed in Yorkshii*e. It has occun'ed 

 once in Hefigoland, and once in the Fivroe^. The only specimen 

 known on the continent of Europe is in the Museum of Mainz, 

 and there appear to be none in America*. 



32. Fagophila eburnea. Ivory-Gull. " Nayauai-suk." 



The well-known circumpolar '• Ice-bird " needs no description, 

 but long as Arctic uavigato is have been acquainted with it, its 



