WEDGE-TAILED GULL. 45 



THE WEDGE-TAILED GULLS. GENUS RHODOSTETIHA. 

 Rhodostethia^ Bp. Comp. List B. Eur. and N. Amer. p. 62 



(.838). 



Type R. rosea (Macgill.). 



The present genus, which contains only a single species, has 

 the tail wedge-shaped, the two middle feathers more than half 

 an inch longer than the next pair, and nearly two inches longer 

 than the outermost tail-feather. 



1. THE WEDGE-TAILED GULL. RHODOSTETHIA ROSEA. 



Lanis roseuSy Macgill. Mem. Wern. Soc. v. no. xiii. p. 249 



(1824). 

 Rhodostethia rossi^ Richardson; Macgill. Brit. B. v. p. 618 



(1852). 



Rhodostethia rosea, Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 343, pi. 594 

 (1877); B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 192 (1883) ; Saunders, 

 ed. Yarrell's Brit. B. iii. p. 572 (1884); id. Man. Brit. B. 

 p. 643 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. parts xvii. xxiii. 

 (1893); Saunders, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 167 (1896). 



Lams rossii, Scebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 305 (1885). 



Adult Male in Breeding- Plumage. — General colour above light 

 pearly-grey ; quills pearly-grey, with a blackish outer web to 

 the first primary ; secondaries white at the ends ; rump, upper 

 tail-coverts, and wedge-shaped tail white ; head and neck all 

 round white, with a black collar round the latter ; under 

 parts white, the under wing-coverts and quill-linings grey ; 

 axillaries white ; bill black ; a vermilion ring round the eye ; 

 tarsi, toes, and their webs bright red, 



The whole of the white parts in this species are suffused 

 with a beautiful blush of rose-colour, whence the bird is often 

 popularly known as " Ross's Rosy Gull." 



Adult in Winter Plumage. — Wants the black collar round the 

 neck, and, according to Mr. Saunders, the rosy colour is not so 

 prominent at this season of the year. 



