178 LARID.E. 



Larus kroicocepIiaUis, Jameson, J. A. S. B. vili. p. 242 (1830). 

 Xema ichthyfetiis, Gray, List B. Brit. Mus., Anseres, p. 171 (1844 : 



Caspian) ; Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 139 (1845 : Lower Egj'pt). 

 Chroicoceplialus ichthyaetus, Bruch, J. f. O. 18-53, p. 104 ; id. op. cit. 



18-55, p. 288; Swinhoe, P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 327; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 



1872, p. 480 (Ceylon); Badde, Orn. Cauc. p. 479 (1884) ; Nikolslcy, 



Trudui St. Petersb. xvii. p. 402 (1886) ; Zaroudnoi, Bull. Soc. Mosc. 



1889, p. 841 (Transcasijia) ; Radde cy Walter, Ornis, 1889, p. 125 



(Transcaspia). 

 Iclitliyaetus pallasi, Bj). C R. xlii. p. 771 (1856) ; Antin. Cat. descr. 



C/cc. p. 115 (1864: Cairo); Heine Sf Reichenow, Nomencl. Mas. 



Hein. p. 358 (1890). 

 Larii8 ichthyaetus minor, Schley. 3Ius. P.-Bas, Lari, p. 34 (1863). 

 Kroikocephalus ichthvEetiis, Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 831 (1864). 

 Gavia ichthyaetus, Blasius, J.f. O. 1865, p. 370 (revision) ; Severtz. 



Turkest. Jemtn. p. 70 (1873 : Tian-Shan up to 1000 ft.). 

 Larus innominatus, Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 394 (1879) ; Oates, B. 



Brit. Burm. ii. p. 416 (1883). 

 Larus affiuis, BidduIjA, Ibis, 1881, p. 101 (Giljrit : cf. id. op. cit. 1882, 



p. 289). 



Adult male in hreeding-plumage. Entire head and nape jet-lDlack, 

 sharply contrasted against the ^vhite of the neck and of the whole 

 of the underparts ; above and below the eye two small crescentic 

 white patches ; mantle pale slate or blue-grey ; secondaries broadly 

 edged with white ; the first primary chiefly white, though black 

 along most of the narrow outer web and also next the shaft on the 

 inner web about 2 inches above the tip ; second quill with more 

 black transversely on both sides of the shaft, and an ill-defined sub- 

 apical bar ; the third, fourth, and fifth quills sub-apically barred 

 with black and broadly tipped with white ; the sixth quill im- 

 perfectly barred ; the remaining upper quills white at the tips and 

 on the outer webs, and grey on the inner webs ; rump, tail, and 

 under surface white to the throat : bill orange, with a black band 

 at the angle ; tarsi and toes greenish yellow, the webs orange. 

 Total length about 20 inches, culmen 3"25, wing 19, tail 7'5, tarsus 

 3-3, middle toe with claw 2-6. 



Less mature birds have more black on the primaries, the first 

 quill being imperfectly barred sub-apically ; the second black on the 

 lower part, with a white mirror, and so on. 



Adult female. Similar, but smaller ; average wing measurement 

 18 inches. 



Adult in autumn and early winter. Similar, except as regards the 

 head which is white, more or less streaked with brownish black. 

 The black hood is often assumed by the middle of February, and the 

 moult of the primaries is then completed. 



Immature. Similar, but the five outer primaries arc brownish 

 black on their lower portions, with white patches on either side of 

 the shaft in the outermost quill only ; wing-coverts and inner 

 secondaries mottled with brown ; tail-feathers white, broadly 

 barred subterminally with brownish black, and edged with white. 

 In an earlier stage there is no white at all on the outer primary, 

 and the grey of the mantle is much mottled with brown. 



