576 LARID^. 



BONAPAETE'S GULL. 



LARUS BONAPARTII. 



Neck, tail, and under plumage white ; hood greyish black ; upper plumage pearl- 

 grey ; first six primaries black and white ; bill black ; irides dark brown ; feet 

 carmine. Length from fourteen to fifteen inches. Eggs unknown. 



Of this beautiful little Gull several specimens have been 

 obtained during the last few years in various parts of 

 Great Britain. It must be considered, however, a straggler 

 from North America, where it i sabundant in the fur 

 countries, and in the northern bays and estuaries. In 

 flight and habits it resembles some of the Terns, with 

 which also it associates, and is distinguished by its peculiar 

 shrill and plaintive cry, 



THE CUNEATE-TAILED GULL. 



LARUS ROSSn. 



Tail graduated, the two central feathers being longest ; general plumage white ; 

 wings pearl-grey ; outer web of the first primary dusky ; some small feathers 

 round the eye and a collar round the middle of the neck black ; neck above 

 and all the under plumage tinged with rose-red ; bill black ; feet red. Length 

 fourteen inches. Eggs unknown. 



This Gull received its name in honour of the Arctic 

 traveller, Captain Ross, who killed the first of the very few 

 specimens which have been obtained. Nothing is known 

 of its habits, and only a solitary individual has been 

 observed in the British Isles. 



THE MASKED GULL. 



LARUS CAPISTRATUS. 



Characters resembling those of the next species ; but the dark mask does not 

 extend to the back of the head, and the feet are reddish brown instead of 

 vermilion. Length fifteen inches. 



An exceedingly rare species, said by Temminck to be 

 found in Baffin's Bay, and Davis's Straits. A few isolated 

 specimens have been shot in British waters ; but owing to 



