io6 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



even exceeding in numbers the assemblage at Nameless Bay, Novaya 

 Zemlya, visited in 1897. On almost every dune there sat one of 

 these Gulls on its nest, while all the larger dunes were occupied by 

 three or four birds; and although this was June 27th, all the eggs 

 were fresh or only slightly incubated, and no young were seen. 

 Separating, we proceeded to collect and mark the clutches as rapidly 

 as possible. The few receptacles we had brought were full at once, 

 for gulls' eggs are bulky ; then we filled our handkerchiefs, then our 

 hats, in spite of the cold. But now the wind was beginning to lift 

 the sand, and the boat was getting into more serious trouble ; so after 

 one short half hour and going over only a few hundred yards, we 

 were obliged to return. The most difficult part of our task yet 

 remained, viz., to get safely back on board the boat. Wading in 

 together, I steadied the boat, while Hetley got in with the guns — 

 poor guns ! a prolonged visit to the gunsmith resulted from that 

 afternoon — then I went back for the eggs, and handed them on board. 

 In spite of all the pitching and rolling, only two were cracked and 

 one broken out of forty-one ; a fact which says much for the strength 

 of a Glaucous Gull's egg. These eggs varied but slightly in colour 

 and markings ; the ground colour being either a light olive brown or 

 bluish-green, with large blotches of dark maroon brown irregularly 

 dispersed over the surface. One clutch, remarkable chiefly for their 

 shape, are depicted full size in Plate 42. The only other birds seen 

 during our hurried visit were a Ringed Plover (which seemed to have 

 a nest near), three male King-Eiders Somateria spectabilis, a Pomator- 

 hine Skua, and a gull with black mantle, but of what species we could 

 not determine. The three last species were all on the wing, and 

 probably only flying over. As often happens in such cases, the wind 

 had moderated considerably by the time we reached the ship ; still 

 the weather looked so threatening all round, and the captain was so 

 anxious to get his vessel out of these unknown waters, I reluctantly 

 gave orders to start at once for Kildin island, which we reached at 

 7 a.m. on the 29th, after a rough passage. 



