THE BIRDS OF JAN MAYEN ISLAND. li 



bird of this species was seen on the 17th of May, in a flock 

 of Snow Buntings, and killed. It was in its most beautiful 

 summer plumage. [Though breeding throughout Greenland, this 

 species is rare, seldom seen in Iceland, and is not known to 

 have occurred in Spitzbergen. — W. E. C] 



Vanellus cristatus, M. & W., Lapwing. — About thirty birds 

 of this species flew across the island, at a considerable height, on 

 the 8th of April [J 883]. An exhausted Lapwing fell down 

 under the Bird Cliff; it was in full summer plumage. Beyond 

 a pair known as coming from Greenland, this would probably be 

 the most northerly appearance of this bird, which generally only 

 reaches southern Iceland. [This species occasionally wanders 

 to both Iceland and Greenland. — W. E. C] 



Charadrius auratus, Bechst., Golden Plover. — As we were 

 returning towards evening on the 29th of June from a boat 

 excursion, we found a pair of Plovers off Mary Muss Bay, 

 both of which were killed ; these were the only specimens we 

 saw. According to the time of year at which we met with 

 these birds, one might suppose that they bred on Jan Mayen. 

 We can, however, say posiitvely this was not the case ; we have 

 scoured the island so often that it seems to me simply impossible 

 that this bird should have been overlooked. Holboll (' Fauna 

 Gronlands,' p. 27) remarks that this species is very rare in 

 Greenland, and, according to his views, does not breed there. 

 From the white axillaries, it appears that the specimens brought 

 back from Jan Mayen belong to the European form of Golden 

 Plover. [It breeds annually in Eastern Greenland, and in Ice- 

 land is one of the commonest summer birds. — W. E. C.] 



Mgialitis hiaticula, L., Binged Plover. — In July and August, 

 1882, very rare ; observed very often at the end of August and 

 in September, generally in companies of four to six, and in pairs. 

 One could approach them easily to within fifteen paces. In 

 spring, 1883, they appeared in great numbers ; and in May, June 

 and July they were met with so numerously that we could often 

 have a meal of them. In spite of the fact that the Ringed Plover 

 was always to be seen, with only very short interruptions of a 

 few days, we failed to find any evidence of its breeding in Jan 

 Mayen. It appears throughout the whole of the high north, 

 with the exception of America. [Breeds on both coasts of 

 Greenland.— W. E. C] 



