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Fseroes, Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, and Archangel, the largest of which (excepting 

 abnormal specimens) measures 46 by 30 millimetres, and the smallest 38 by 28*5. 



Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown writes that, having carefully compared a large series of the eggs of 

 Sterna fluviatilis and the present species, he considers those of Sterna hirimdo may often be 

 separated from those of S. fluviatilis by their more pyriform shape and smaller size. In order to 

 prove this, he has kindly sent us a table of measurements, most carefully made, of twelve specimens 

 of each species picked at random from a series, which fully bears out his argument. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 



a,juv. Pagham, Sussex, October 10th, 1871 (A. Grant), b. Tangiers (L. H. Irby). c. Fort Kenay, Russian 

 America (F. Bischoff). d, pull. Long Point Island, 1860 (C. Drexler). e. Maine, July 1859 {Coues). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 

 a,b, 6, ? • Copeland Islands, June 29th, 1867 (H. S.). 



E Mus. C. B. Wharton, 

 a, b. Hebrides, June 1872 (C. B. W.). 



E Mus. Hanbury Barclay, 

 a, b, c, d, 6 , 2 ■ Orkneys, summer of 1869 (H. B.). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram, 

 a, b. Bamborough, Northumberland, July 21st and 22nd, 1865 (/. H. Gurney). 



5n 



