LARIDM. 79 



A specimen in summer plumage is thus described in Yarrell's 'British Birds': — "Bill 

 reddish-brown ; irides very dark brown ; the whole of the head and the upper part of the neck 

 all round is black ; the neck below white ; the back, wing-coverts, and wings, uniform pale 

 ash-grey ; the outer primaries darker grey, with white at the end and on the inner margin of 

 the web ; upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers white ; the tail in form square at the end, and all 

 the under surface of the body and under tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and membranes 

 vermilion. An adult bird in winter has the bill almost black ; irides dark brown ; forehead 

 and upper part of neck in front, and on the sides, pure white ; occiput and nape of the neck 

 streaked with greyish black on a white ground ; a dusky spot under the eye, and an elongated 

 patch of dusky black falling downwards from the ear-coverts; all the other parts as in summer." 

 Whole length, ten inches and one-eighth. On an Australian voyage we should only expect to 

 see this Gull in British waters. 



BoNAPAETEAN GuLL {Larus pliUadelpliia). — Another Gull with a brown head in summer 

 turning white in winter. Mentioned by Yarrell in 'Appendix to British Birds' as a rare 

 winter visitant to our shores. Much like a Tern in its movements. Thus described by 

 Yarrell : — " Neck, tail-coverts, tail, whole under plumage, and interior of the wings, pure 

 white ; hood greyish-black, extending half an inch over the nape, and as much lower on the 

 throat ; mantle pearl-grey, this colour extending to the tips of the tertiaries, secondaries, and 

 two posterior primaries ; the anterior border of the wings white ; the outer web of the first 

 primary, and the ends of the first six are deep black, most of them shghtly tipped with white ; 

 the inner web of the first primary, with the outer webs of the three following ones, with their 

 shafts, are pure white ; bill shining black ; inside of the mouth and the legs bright carmine- 

 red ; irides dark brown. Whole length, fourteen inches to fifteen inches and a half ; wings, 

 from the bend to the end of the longest quill-feather, ten inches. The female is a little 

 smaller than the male." We should only expect to meet this little Gull at the very commence- 

 ment of the voyage to Austraha ; and as this is an American species it would be very unlikely 

 even there. 



Sabine's Gull [Xema Sahimi).— The distinguishing character of the genus Xeina is the 

 forked tail, giving the Gull a Tern-like appearance. Mr. Saunders only includes two in the 

 genus, and of those two we might possibly meet this one in British waters, as it has been 

 obtained in Great Britain. It has a dark-coloured head in summer, which it loses in winter. 

 Resembles the Black-headed Gull in appearance, only has primaries nearly quite black, black 

 and yellow bill ; legs, feet, and claws black ; a forked tail, and is only thirteen inches long. 



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