290 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



all the lower parts of an aurora or blush- white. Rump and tail white. 

 Back J scapulars, and the whole wing of a pure and very pale bluish- 

 ash. Quills ash ; the secondaries tipped with white. Bill of a deep 

 lake -red. Iris dark-brown. Feet carmine-red. Length 11^ inches 

 or a little more. 



BROWN-MASKED GULL. 



(Larus coj)istratus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 785. Bonap. Synops. 



No. 293.) 



Sp. Charact. — Mantle pearl grey ; quills black at the point, the 

 outer one white, internally pale ash ; shafts white ; bill very slen- 

 der ; tarsus about 1.^ inches ; tail somewhat emarginate. — Summer 

 plumage, the head only, covered with a light brown hood. In win' 

 ter without the hood. Young spotted with greyish and blackish ; 

 tail with a black subterminal band. 



This species, so very similar with the Laughing Gull, in- 

 habits the north of both continents ; migrating south on the 

 approach of winter, at which season they are not uncommon 

 on the shores of the Delaware and the bay of the Chesa- 

 peake. In Europe the species seldom strays from its north- 

 ern breeding places, and though rare on the milder coasts of 

 Europe, is common in the Orkney islands in Scotland. In 

 America their summer residence appears to be on the shores 

 and islands of Baffin's Bay and Davis's Straits, regions much 

 more inclement in winter than their European residence, 

 and from which they are consequently obliged to migrate 

 early in autumn. 



The ejTgs of this species are smaller than those of the 

 Lauo-hing Gull, greenish-ash with blackish-brown spots. 



The Brown-Masked Gull is about 14 inches long. The iclnter 

 plumage of this species is the same as that of the Laughing Gull, 

 from which, however, it is still distinguishable by its smaller size, 

 its bill much more small and slender; and the tarsus and toes 

 shorter, have also a tint of reddish-brown. 



