286 



LAEIDJE. 



bar very narrow or reduced to a spot on the outer web ; the rest 

 grey basally, tipped with white : bill yellow, red at the angle of 



1 2 3 



Larits glaticesccns. 



the lower mandible ; culmen rather abruptly decurved at the tip ; 

 tarsi and toes " light flesh colour" (Coites). Total length 25 to 26 

 inches, culmen 2-75, wing 17 to 17-5, tail 8, tarsus 2-7, middle toe 

 with claw 2-7. 



The female has a less robust bill and is somewhat smaller. 



Adult in xvi liter. Like the above, but the head and neck streaked 

 with brownish grey. 



Young {tiuo months old). General colour dark greyish brown ; the 

 forehead and lores almost lead-colour ; the feathers of the mantle 

 and tail-coverts edged with dull buff ; primaries ash-brown ex- 

 teriorly, much paler on the inner webs; rectrices ash-brown, the 

 outer pairs slightly mottled : bill dark brown ; tarsi and toes paler 

 brown. Both upper and under surfaces rapidly become paler, and 

 a greyer tint prevails the same year : this becomes more marked the 

 second year, when the feathers of the mantle are chequered and 

 the rectrices are distinctly mottled. 



Immature. Head, neck, and underparts nearly white ; mantle 

 almost as in the adult, with a little brownish mottling on the 

 secondaries ; an indication of a mirror on the first primary ; white 

 tips, followed by distinct subterminal bars, on the 3rd, 4th, and 

 5th quills ; tail white, with large irregular blotches of ash-grey : 

 bill yellowish, darkly banded across the angle ; tarsi and toes dull 

 flesh-colour. At the next moult the secondaries are pure white 



