THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
when any were seen close, being one afternoon in a gale of wind, when a little 
party came ‘ coasting ’ along the shore after the usual manner of Gulls in 
heavy weather. Mr. Archer informs me that when the lake is frozen over 
in its northern parts L. novcB-hollandim disappears in part, but that individuals 
frequent the partly frozen tributary creeks, and so soon as a thaw sets in 
reappear on the lake. No doubt a good many of those normally frequenting 
the lake retire further down to the south to the Ouse and Shannon Rivers, 
during frost, and some may go to neighbouring lakes (Arthur and Woods) 
which are at a considerably lower elevation.” 
The same author* writes : “ On the 31st October I found this species 
breeding at the south point of the Great Actaeon. About 50 pairs were 
nesting according to the habit of this GuU, close together. During the early 
part of the next month many more must have bred, making a large ‘ colony,’ 
as an immense number of eggs were taken by the inhabitants of Recherche, 
who make an annual raid upon the unfortunate birds. The nests I found at 
the end of October were all fresh, so that the height of the breeding season 
would be about the 10th of November. They were situated under the rank 
herbage and thistles growing at the edge of the pebble beach, none of them 
being more than four yards from the margin of the vegetation. Little hollows 
between the rolled pebbles lined with herbage formed the nests which were 
placed as near one another as a couple of feet. No nests contained more 
than two eggs at this time, the third not having been laid. In coloration there 
are three types of eggs of this Gull, viz. Yellowish, chocolate, pale earth-brown, 
olive grey, and stone grey, the former usually possessing the heaviest 
markings. 
“ An egg of the latter type before me is evenly clouded throughout the 
surface with two shades of rich deep sepia, over larger primary clouds of inky 
grey in two shades ; some of the clouds are longitudinal, and others transverse. 
Eggs of the light type are blotched and speckled with two or three shades 
of umber brown (thickly at the larger end) over softened primary markings 
of bluish grey in two shades. In some examples the umber markings are pale 
and small, and the bluish grey much washed off at the edges. In a few the 
umber markings take a hieroglyphic form chiefly round the larger end, and 
these are the handsomest eggs. In shape the eggs of this Gull vary some- 
what, and are either stumpy ovals with a broad end, pyriform ovals, or ovals 
regularly shaped at each end. They measure as follows: length from 2.02 
to 2.18 inches ; breadth from 1.45 to 1.59 inches. 
“ While examining the nests, I found the birds less anxious as to their 
safety than some species ; they fly round with querulous cries for a little 
* Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasm. 1887, p. 131 1888. 
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