33 
1921.] Birds of North-East Chihli. 
a depression in sand-banks in the vicinity of water (rivers 
or sea). I have eggs dated 29th May, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 
8 th June, end of June, and July, taken on the Shanhaikuan 
River and down the coast. The eggs are buff, greenish-buff, 
and pale yellowish-green, spotted with brown or reddish and 
purplish-grey, the latter in different shades and both on the 
surface and within the shell. The spots are generally small 
and sometimes are partly concentrated in a rough zone. 
The general shape is ovate or oval-ovate. Thirty-two eggs 
average 1*29 x 0*96 in. The longest measures T37 x 096 in., 
the shortest T19x092in., the broadest T28 X 0*98 in., 
and the narrowest diameter (three eggs) is 091 in. 
This Tern remains somewhat late, and may be seen fishing 
in the marshes until about the middle of October. 
I saw flocks of this Tern flying over the plain near 
Newchwang in May and June, and also on the River Liao 
on the 11th of August, 1889. 
260. Phalacrocorax carbo (L.). 
Phalacrocorax carbo D. & O. p. 532; La T. p. 582. 
Cormorants pass in spring from the end of March to 
the end of April, and are not uncommonly seen during 
the autumn passage. One observed sitting on the rocks 
on the 11th of August, 1912, appeared from its size to 
be P. pelagicus. 
261. Fregata ariel (Gould). 
Attagen minor D. & O. p. 534. • 
1 saw on the 19th of Amgust, 1915, circling over the 
cliffs and harbour at Chinwangtao, a large bird which must 
have been a Lesser Frigate-bird. On the 5th of October 
following, a friend saw circling over the harbour a large 
black bird with deeply forked tail, which was doubtless 
another example of this bird. The Smaller Frigate-bird 
occurs in summer on the coast of south-east China and 
has been seen or taken on the Lower Yangtse and at 
Shaweishan, but until 1915 it had not been noticed so far 
north on the China coast. 
SER. XI.-Y0L. III. 
D 
