BONAPARTE'S MEW. 611 



compressed, covered anteriorly with numerous scutella, pos- 

 teriorly with very small oblique scutella. Toes slender, the 

 first extremely small, the outer slightly shorter than the 

 third ; interdigital membranes deeply emarginate. Claws 

 small, compressed, moderately arched, rather obtuse. 



Plumage full, rather close, blended. Wings very long 

 and pointed ; primaries tapering, narrow but rounded at the 

 end ; secondaries obliquely rounded, the inner web extending 

 beyond the outer. Tail of moderate length, almost even. 



Bill black, inside of mouth vermilion. Feet " orange, 

 slightly tinged Avith vermilion ;" claws brown. Head and 

 upper part of neck all round greyish-black. Back and 

 wings light greyish-blue. Lower part of neck all round, 

 breast, sides, abdomen, lower wing-coverts and tail-coverts, 

 edge of the wings, hind part of the tail, tail-feathers and 

 their coverts, white. Four outer primary coverts, shaft and 

 inner web of the outer primary, both webs of the second, 

 outer webs of the third and fourth, white, as are their 

 shafts. Outer web of first primary, excepting a small 

 portion toward the end, and its tip to the length of half an 

 inch, black, as are the ends of the next, which, however, 

 have a small white tip, the black on the thii'd and fourth 

 quills about an inch in length, and extending along their 

 inner edges about two inches and a half from the end. The 

 closed wings of this species and Gavia ridibunda resemble 

 each other in having a white longitudinal band, margined 

 by the black of the outer web of the first primary. 



Length to end of tail 14 inches ; wings extending beyond 

 the tail l^; wing from flexure lOf ; tail 4^; bill along the 

 ridge 1^32- ; tarsus 1-^ ; middle toe 1 j\, its claw ^. 



Female in Summer. — Mr. Audubon states that " the 

 female is somewhat smaller, and resembles the male, but has 

 the head and upper part of the neck umber-brown." 



Young in Winter. — According to the same author, the 

 young in December have the " bill greyish-black, iris dark 

 brown ; feet flesh-coloured, claws dusky. Head and neck 

 greyish-white ; a small black patch about an inch behind 



