WEDGE-TAILED GULL. 295 



plumage and interior of the wings pure white. Hood greyish-black, 

 extending half an inch over the nape, and as much lower on the 

 throat. Mantle pearl grey, this color extending to the tips of the 

 tertiaries, secondaries, and two posterior primaries. The anterior 

 border of the wing is white from its shoulder for the breadth of 4 

 greater primary coverts. The exterior web of the outer primary, 

 and the ends of the first 6 are deep black, most of them slightly tip- 

 ped with white, the 7th and 8th are merely blotched with black on 

 their tips. The inner web of the first primary, and the outer webs 

 of the 3 following ones, with their shafts, are pure white. Bill shin- 

 ing black. Inside of the mouth and legs bright carmine-red. Irids 

 dark brown. Bill slender and nearly straight, conspicuously notched 

 at the tip } much compressed at the point, and the breadth at the 

 base exceeds its depth. Wings 2 inches longer than the tail, which 

 is very slightly rounded laterally. 



In the young bird, the crown of the head, back of the neck, scap- 

 ulars and interscapulars are greyish-brown with paler tips. Middle 

 of the wing and tertiaries blackish-brown, the tips lighter ; bastard 

 wing and primary coverts blotched with the same. Throat and up- 

 per part of the breast faintly tinged with buff. Tail with a blackish 

 subterminal band. Bill brownish, pale at the base beneath. Lees 

 clay colored. In the bird of one year old flesh-colored. In the 

 adult specimen, as in that of Dr. Richardson, the exterior web of the 

 2d quill is irregularly marked with a narrow black mark on the edge. 



WEDGE-TAILED GULL. 



(Larus Rossii, Richardson, North. Zool. ii. p. 427. L. roseus, 



Jardine and Selby, Orn. Illust. p. 1. pi. 14.) 

 Sp. Charact. — With a pearl grey mantle; wings longer than the 



cuneiform tail ; the outer web of the first quill feather blackish ; 



bill black and slender ; tarsus an inch long, and as well as the feet, 



vermilion-red. 



Specimens of this species were collected on the coast of 

 Melville Peninsula, in Sir Edward Parry's second voyage. 

 Commander Ross afterwards in his most adventurous boat 

 voyage towards the Pole, relates that several were seen dur- 



