EISA. 223 



Genus EISSA, Stephens. 



Eissa rissa (Linn.). 



Larus tridaotylus, Thien. Forlpflanz. ges. Vog. tab. xc. fig. 1, a-h 



(1845-54); Hewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, ii. p. 493, pi. cxxxvii. 



(1856) ; Dixon, Ibis, 1885, p. 87 ; Seebohm, Brit. Birds, iii. p. 340, 

 , pi. 60 (1885) ; id. Eggs of Brit.. Birds, p. 114, pi. 32. figs. 1, 2 



(1896) ; id. Birds Japan. Emp. p. 294 (1890). 

 Rissa tridactyla, Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 40. fig. 2 (1855-63); 



Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 447 (1878) ; Baird, Brewer Sf Ridgw. 



Water Birds N. Am. ii. p. 202 (1884) ; Saunders, Cat. Birds B. M. 



XXV. p. 305 (1896). 

 Rissa tridactyla poUioaris, kelson, Report Nat. Hist. Alaska, p. 49 



(1887). 

 Rissa rissa, Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 143 (1899). 



The eggs of the Kittiwake are of a pointed oval form and are 

 ' most varied in their coloration. The ground ranges from cream- 

 colour to pinkish buff, and from olive-grey to olive-brown. The 

 surface- markings are of rich chocolate-brown, reddish brown or 

 yellowish brown, and the underlying markings, which are extremelj' 

 conspicuous in many eggs, are grey or pale purple. The markings 

 on some specimens are very small, on others large, consisting of 

 huge blotches. Sometimes the markings are evenly distributed 

 over the shell ; at others they are chiefly collected together at the 

 large end to form a cap or zone. A few eggs are covered with a 

 beautiful tangled network of lines ; in fact the patterns on the 

 Kittiwakes' eggs are infinite in number, and it is difficult to get 

 half-a-dozen examples to match each other. They measure from 

 2-1 to 2*4 in length, and from I'o to 1'75 in breadth. 



4. St. George's Island, Bering Sea, Salvin-Godman Coll. 



24th June (H. W. Elliott : Hen- 



shaw Coll.). 

 3. KurUe Islands, Japan (if. J". jSmojo). Seebohm Coll. 

 3. North Iceland, 6th June (C. Seebohm Coll. 



Steinike: Hargitt Coll.). 

 3. North Iceland, 6th June (C. ^S".; Seebhom Coll. 



Hargitt Coll.). 

 2. Faroe Islands, 30th May (H. C. Seebohm Coll. 



Mailer: Hargitt Coll.). 

 7. Faroe Islands, 6th June {H. C. M. : Seebohm Coll. 



Hargitt Coll.). 



2. Fair Island, Orkneys. E. M. Nelson, Esq. [P.]. 

 16. St. Kilda, Hebrides, 14th June Seebohm Coll. 



(C Dixon). 



3. Bass Rock, Firth of Forth {Hargitt Seebohm Coll. 



Coll.). 

 2. Rathlin Island, Ireland. Saunders Coll. 



2. South Saltees, Ireland, 16th June Seebohm Coll. 



(JR. J. Ussher). 

 2. South Saltees, 16th June (Ii. J. U.).. Seebohm Coll. 

 13. Earn Islands, June (H. Seebohm). Seebohm Coll. 

 6, The Pinacles, Earn Islands, June Seebohm Coll. 



(0. Salvin). 



