LARI.ViK. 833 



The Laughing Gull. 



Descr. — Head and upper part of neck deep reddish-brown, 

 more extended in front and on the sides ; lower neck white ; eyelids 

 white ; upper plumage pale ashy ; upper tail- coverts and tail white ; 

 first four primaries white, tipped and edged with black within, 

 and the first with the outer web black ; 5th and 6th nearly all 

 black ; t]ie rest of the quills grey ; beneath, from the breast, white, 

 faintly tinged with rosy. 



Bill and legs deep red ; irides dark brown. Length 15 to 16 

 inches; wing 13 ; tail 5; bill at front If ; tarsus If. 



In winter plumage the head is white, with some dusky mark- 

 ings on the occiput and ears. 



The Laughing Gull is not so common as the last species, but it is 

 found in the Bay of Bengal, and at the mouths of the Giinges and the 

 Hooghly in considerable numbers. It appears to be less common 

 in the South of India, where I never observed it. This Gull is 

 stated by Adams to breed on the lakes of Ladakh. 



The Laughing Gull inhabits temperate and Northern Europe and 

 Asia, breeding abundantly in Britain, and, in company with the 

 common Gull, often feeding on ploughed lands. The eggs are said 

 to be nearly as good as those of Plovers. The note is a hoarse 

 cackle compared by some to a laugh ; hence its specific name. 



Larus (Xema) minutus is mentioned by Captain Irby as having 

 been observed by him in Oudh in its winter dress. It is 10^ 

 inches long ; wing 8f . It has the occiput and nape streaked 

 with black in winter; a dusky spot under the eye, and another 

 longer one behind the ear-coverts. In summer the head and 

 neck are black. As no other observer has noted the occurrence 

 of this somewhat rare Gull, I have not at present included it 

 among the Birds of India, and I do not know if Captain Irby 

 preserved his only specimen. It is known to be found about 

 the Caspian Sea, but is chiefly a more Northern bird. 



Sub-fam. SxERNiNiE, Bonap. 

 Bill more or Lss long, entire, almost straight, compressed and 

 pointed ; the lower mandible with a more or less strongly marked 

 angular gonys ; nostrils longitudinal ; wings long, pointed, very 



TART II. 5 N 



