210 LAKID^. 



Larns gelastes, Thienem. 



Larus gelastes, Thien. Fartpflanz. ges. Voq. tab. xc. fig. 4 (1845-54); 

 Saunders, Ibis, 1871, p. 400; Bree, Birds Eur. 2nd ed. y. p. 72, 

 pi. — (1876) ; Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 389 (1878) ; Oates ed. 

 Hume, Nests 8f Eggs Ind. B. iii. p. 294 (1890) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, 

 p. 115; Saunders, Oat. Birds B. M. xxv. p. 230 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 Handrl. i. p. 140 (1899). « 



Gelastes lambruschiiiii,Jfae(feAer,Seri^Mr. Fo^. tab. 72. fig. 1 (1855-63). 



The eggs of the Slender-billed Gull are fairly uniform in colour. 

 They are of a broad, pointed oval form. The ground of the 

 majority of the eggs is pure white, but a few have it of a pale cream- 

 colour, and others of a pinkish buff-colour. The surface-markings, 

 consisting of spots and blotches, are frequently black ; at times 

 yellowish brown, chocolate-brown, or even reddish brown. The 

 underlying markings are of a pale purple and very conspicuous. On 

 many examples, the surface-markings are small and evenly dis- 

 tributed over the shell ; on others, they consist of huge blotches as 

 well as spots, and they are frequently massed together at the broad 

 end, where they form an ill-defined cap or zone. Some specimens 

 are marked with lines and scrawls. The eggs measure from 2-1 to 

 2-27 in length, and from 1-45 to 1-6 in breadth. 



2. South Spain. Lord Lilford [P.]. 



2. San Lucar, Spain, May (Ruiz). Saunders Coll. 

 4. Delta of the Danube (r.^o«fl»<i). Seebohm Ooll. 



3. Black Sea, June (JF. //. CM^/eM). Seebohm Coll. 



2. Dobrudscha, 30th June ( W. H. C). Dr. C. R. Bree [P.]. 

 1. Dobrudscha, Ist July ( W. H. C). Dr. 0. E. Bree [P.J. 



3. Dobrudscha, 10th June (H. See- Seebohm Coll. 



bohrri). 



16. Deha of the Volga (aeK/,;e). Seebohm Coll. 



1. Smyrna. Saunders Ooll. 



2. Lake Menzaleh, Egypt (E. C. Saunders Coll. 



Taylor). 

 7. Abdullah Bank, Persian Gulf, W. D. Gumming, Esq. [P.]. 



April. 

 2. Osmaira, Mekran Coast, 28th May Saunders Coll. , 1 



{E. A. Biith-r). 

 21. Osmarra, 28th May (E. A. B.). Hume Coll. 



Larus novse-hollandise, SUph. 



Bruchigaviajamesonii, Gould, Handb. Birds Avstr. ii. p. 387 (1865); 



Campbell, Nests l^ Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 65 (1883). 

 Bruchigavia gouldi, Gould, Handb. Birds Austr. ii. p. 388 (1865). 

 Xema novse-hoUandise, North, Nests ^ Eggs Austr. Birds, p. 361, pi. xx. 



Larus novse-hollan'dire, Le Souef, Ibis, 1896, p. 421 ; Saunders, Cat. 

 Birds B. M. xxv. p, 235 (1896) ; Sharpe, Hatid-l. i. p. 141 (1899). 



The small series of eggs of the Silver Gull in the Collection shows 

 that there is considerable variation in their colour. They are of 

 a rather broad oval form, abput half of the specimens being pointed 

 and the others blunt. The ground varies from pale green to pale 



