46 Zoological Collections. Vertebrata. 



base of the under mandible. That is the case in young individuals ; but when 

 the female has arrived at her full growth, at the age of three or four years, she 

 has the same external characters as the male, only somewhat less developed. 

 Transactions of the Linn. Soc. of Bordeaux , iv. 169, June 1830. 



Winter Plumage of the Larus atricilla — The winter plumage of the Lams 

 atricilla, ( Mouette a capu^hon plombe,) was unknown to Teraminck. From a 

 specimen taken at Trieste, in the winter of 1829, M. Michahelles describes it as 

 follows : — 



Front white, some small grayish feathers around the beak ; four spots round 

 the eye, the anterior and posterior gray, the inferior and superior white. The 

 upper part of the body, nape, scapulars, and middle wing-coverts of a silvery 

 gray ; smallest wing-coverts dusky brown ; greatest wing-coverts tipped with 

 white. The first quill-feather (from the extremity) of an uniform blackish-brown ; 

 the second to the fifth, of a similar colour, but marked within by a white spot ; 

 the sixth to the tenth, brown along the shaft of the feather, and white in the other 

 part. The last two rectrices entirely white, with the exception of a little brown 

 spot near the extremity ; the others are also white, but terminated by a bar an 

 inch broad. All below is silvery white Isis, 1829, No. xii. p. 1269. 



Procellaria Leachii, Temminck. Leaches Petrel. — When Temminck wrote 

 the description of this species in the second edition of his Manuel, published in 

 1820, he was aware of ouly four specimens in all Europe, and his description 

 was taken from the original British specimen killed by Mr. Bullock at St. Kilda. 

 Since that period several have been killed, or found in a nearly dying state in 

 this country, and its identity, as an occasional visitant to our shores, can no longer 

 be doubted. 



On the morning of the 16th November last, another specimen was accidentally 

 discovered by Mr. John Jardine, lying in a very exhausted state on the public 

 road between Glasgow and Carlisle, about three miles north of Jardine Hall. 

 When found it allowed itself to be taken, and soon afterwards died ; on examina- 

 tion, one side appeared much bruised, and there can be little doubt that it was 

 driven from its seaward course, and most probably dashed to the ground by the 

 fury of the storm, on the night previous, one of the most violent storms of thunder, 

 wind, and rain, that has for many years visited Dumfries-shire. What follows 

 are the observations that were taken down previous to, and during the process of 

 its preservation : — 



Male, plumage rich, uniform grayish-black, lighter on the forehead and throat, 

 and of a browner tinge underneath ; feathers on the forehead thick and satiny, very 

 long, and giving a peculiar rise to that part not indicated by the skull ; the fea- 

 thers between the eyes and the bill standing nearly erect, and somewhat rigid, as in 

 the Swifts. Rump-feathers pure white, extending a little way on the side, the shaft 

 of each feather darker ; wings beautifully formed for flight ; quills much pointed, 

 inner webs very broad, second and third equal and longest, first and fourth equal, 

 the rest gradually decreasing. The longest quills exceed the tail by ^ of an 

 inch, whereas both Temminck and C. L. Bonaparte make them of equal length. 

 Secondaries tipped with clear grayish-white, forming a bar across the wing. 



Tail of twelve feathers, black ; the two centre ones broad, and of equal length 

 with the under coverts. Those on the outside are edged with gray, and exceed 

 the centre ones by half an inch. Legs and feet brownish black, having no dif- 

 ference of colour in the webs. 



Weight, 1 oz. 1 dr. 



Length from bill to the exterior tail feather, 7| inches. 



Depth of fork, ^ inch. 



Length of outer tail feathers, 2| inches. 



Length of wing from the bend joining the fore- arm to the tip of 2d and 3d 

 quills, 6 1 inches. 



Length of tarsi 1 inch, equal to that of the outward toe. 



