386 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and the larger ends of those were clouded with reddish brown, as if all 

 the usual spots had collected together, and were then distributed from 

 a common centre, the colouring matter growing gradually lighter as it 

 approached the middle of the egg, until lost in the general ground 

 colour. In egg variation, is the explanation easy as to why the mark, 

 ings are so often gathered at the larger end ? — as with this thought I 

 was induced to give a casual glance at the contents of my small 

 oological cabinet, and was interested in finding how many species 

 show such variation, the peculiarity being very marked in Red-back 

 Shrike, Eeed-Wren, House- Sparrow, Common Bunting, Blackbird, 

 Redshank, Snipe, and several other species. — G. B. Corbin (Ring- 

 wood, Hants). 



Ruff near Chester. — I received (Sept. 12th) an immature specimen 

 of Ruff (Machetes pugnax), which had been shot on the Dee Marsh, near 

 Chester, and I am told that several other specimens were seen at the 

 same time, but fortunately they did not venture within gunshot. Every 

 year one or more of these interesting birds are more or less observed 

 in the same locality, no doubt on the autumn migration. — A. New- 

 stead (Grosvenor Museum, Chester). 



Sandwich Tern in Norfolk. — On Sept. 19th I had a good view of a 

 fine adult Sandwich Tern (Sterna cantiaca) perched on the outlet of 

 the town-sewer at Hunstanton, and was able to bring my boat within 

 thirty yards of it. By the aid of good glasses I could plainly see the 

 (for a Tern) long black legs, and, compared with a young Tern of 

 either the Common or Arctic species which sat by its side, it looked 

 quite a large bird. Two days later I saw what was probably the same 

 bird near the pier. One rather wishes that the protection of the eggs 

 of " Terns, Sea-Swallows, Pearls, or Dip-ears " (all species) by the 

 Norfolk County Council could be extended to the birds throughout the 

 year, but happily there is no wholesale slaughter of sea-birds for the 

 feather-market on the East Anglian coast. — Julian G. Tuck (Tostock 

 Rectory, Bury St. Edmunds). 



Nesting of the Lesser Tern (Sterna minuta) in the Outer Hebrides. 

 — On the north-west side of North Uist, almost in a line with Loch 

 Maddy, there is a small sandy island called Kirkibost, the northern 

 portion of which is covered with dunes, sloping gently down to 

 high-water mark, which is fringed with small pebbles and the usual 

 flotsam and jetsam peculiar to this part of the shore, and is here the 

 home of a few pairs of Arctic Tern {Sterna macrura). While watching 

 these birds my companion (Mr. T. Aldworth) called my attention to 



