ricitardson’s skua. 121 
reticulated with small pointed scales. "Webs, blackish, blotted 
with yellow. 
The female is as the male. 
The young are at first covered with down, of a beautiful 
lio-ht brown "colour, spotted and barred with black, the former 
gradually wearing out. In the first year’s plumage the bill, 
which is curved at the point, is black on that portion, and 
the remainder brownish grey, as likewise the cere;, iris, dark 
brown. Head, crown, neck, and nape, pale yellowish brown, 
streaked with dark brown, tbe most so on the hinder pait 
of the sides of the head, and of the neck. Chin and throat, 
pale yellowish brown, streaked and mottled with daikei brown; 
breast, pale yellowish brown, barred across with darker brown. 
Back, deep brown, the feathers tipped with yellowish. Greater 
and lesser wing coverts, deep brown, margined with pale yel¬ 
lowish brown; primaries, dusky brownish black, tipped with 
pale brown, and part of the inner webs white, as also the 
shafts; tertiaries, brown, margined with paler brown. Tail, 
deep dusky brown at the base, the remainder brownish black, 
and the two middle feathers half an inch longer than the 
others; the whole number of feathers is twelve. Under tail 
coverts, pale yellowish brown, barred with darker brown. The 
legs, at first black, become yellowish white and blue; the toes, 
also at first black, turn to yellowish white at the base, the 
remainder black; webs, yellow at the base, and the front black, 
whence the name to the species of the Black-toed Gull. 
