GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 537 



part and sides of the head, the fore part of the neck, and the 

 lower surface in general, pure white ; a few pale brown spots 

 still remaining on the sides, the axillar feathers, and lower 

 Avinjr-coverts. The ground-colour of the head and hind-neck 

 white, slightly tinged with grey, streaked with pale brown. 

 The back confusedly mottled with pale brown and yellowish- 

 white, tinged with ash and purplish-brown, the markings 

 somewhat transverse, there being several bars on each fea- 

 ther ; the tips still whitish, those of the scapulars of con- 

 siderable extent. The wings of a deeper tint than the back, 

 liair-brown, tinged with grey and a little purple, the spots 

 disposed in irregular bars, the tips and intervals reddish- 

 white, tinged with brown. The primaries are blackish- 

 brown ; the secondaries pale brown, tinged with grey and 

 tipped with white ; the inner barred with deep brown and 

 whitish at the end. The rump and tail-coverts Avhitish, 

 slightly mottled with pale brown ; the tail-feathers nearly 

 all white, with a few very deep brownish-black spots and 

 patches; an irregular bar of the same deep brown at the 

 end ; the tips whitish. 



