Descriptive List of the Common Birds 



A white bird with grey shoulders and some 

 black in the wings. In summer the head and 

 neck become brown and in winter traces of 

 this usually remain. The bill and legs are red. 



A winter visitor to India. 



197. Larus brunneicephalus : The Brown- 

 headed Gull. (F. 1491), (J. 980), (+IV.) 



This bird is very like the last at all seasons, 

 so that it is scarcely possible to distinguish them 

 on the wing. 



198. Larus affinis : The Dark-backed Her- 

 ring-Gull. (F. 1494), (J. 978), (V.) 



This bird is distinguished from Nos. 196 and 

 197 by the fact that its wings and shoulders are 

 slate-grey instead of pale grey, and its legs are 

 yellow. It is a much larger bird than the above 

 two species. 



It is said to be very common at Karachi. 

 It is found on other parts of the West Coast, 

 but apparently not on the East Coast. 



199. Larus cachinans : The Yellow-legged 

 Herring-Gull. (F. 1495), (V.) 



This is very like No. 198, except that its 

 shoulders are of a lighter shade of grey. It has 

 yellow legs. 



This gull is often seen on the rivers and 

 large jhils of Northern India in winter. 

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