432 



6 



Johnson, who lately took the eggs of this Gull in Shetland, describes the nest to us as being 

 placed on the ground amongst the grass, large in size, and loosely put together, covering a circle 

 of about two and a half feet, deeply hollowed, the materials used in the formation of the nest 

 being dry tufts of grass, sheep's wool, heather moss, and large feathers. Referring to its nidifi- 

 cation in Scotland, Messrs. Harvie Brown and Feilden write to us that " wary and distrustful by 

 nature, its breeding-stations appear to be selected with a special view to immunity from 

 intrusion, and, where unmolested, we find them nesting in communities on low grassy islets 

 of freshwater lochs. Such nesting-places are to be found in the Outer Hebrides, on a small lake 

 not far from Lerwick, in Shetland, on Loch Lomond, and also in the south-west of Scotland. 

 Detached ' holms,' difficult of access, and almost inaccessible ' stacks ' are favourite nesting- 

 places ; and in such localities they congregate in large numbers for the purpose of incubation. 

 Scattered pairs breed along the coast, returning year after year to the same spots ; and pairs of 

 these birds are also to be found on many inland lochs, breeding in company with colonies of the 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) and Herring-Gull (Lams argentatus), but always 

 placing their nest somewhat apart from them. The larger species is easily distinguished from 

 the Lesser Black-backed Gull, not only by its greater size, but also by its deeper and more 

 defiant note. When taking the eggs of the four common species of Laridae we have noticed that 

 the Common Gull (Larus canus) flies closely over head uttering plaintive mournful cries; the 

 Herring-Gull is especially clamorous, the Lesser Black-backed Gull almost equally so, whilst 

 the Great Black-backed Gull sails overhead, occasionally making swoops at the intruder, and 

 uttering a loud, indignant croak. Along the east coast of Scotland this Gull is not so abundant 

 during the breeding-season ; but great numbers visit the friths in the month of November in 

 company with other species, following the shoals of ' Garvies,' which at that time begin to 

 appear upon the coasts." The eggs of this Gull are olive-brown in colour, sometimes darker and 

 sometimes lighter, spotted and blotched with dark brown ; compared with the eggs of Larus 

 glaueus they are darker, and have not the greenish tinge that usually pervades the eggs of the 

 latter species. Dr. E. Key gives the average size of twenty-three eggs of the Greater Black- 

 backed Gull as 78 - 5 by 54T millimetres, the largest measuring 86"0 by 55-0, and the smallest 

 72 - 5 by 52 -0 millimetres respectively. 



The figures and descriptions are taken from specimens in Dresser's collection. 



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



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, j. Uddevalla, Sweden, April 6th, 1872. b, d, c, $. Stromness, Orkneys (Dunn). e,f. Pagliam, July, 

 1870 (R. B. S.). g, 2 . Norfolk coast, November 1872 (J. H. Gurney , jun.) . 



E Mus. J. H. Gurney, jun. 



a, cj. Yarmouth, November 1867. b, 2- Rye, Sussex, November 1871. c,juv. Bamborough, April 25th, 

 1866 (J.H. G.Jun.). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 



a, 6 ,b, $. Orkneys (Dunn), c. Greenland. d,juv. Hiddensee, Germany (Moschler). 



