BIRDS OF EGYPT. 303 



me very possible ; for when I met with them they had 

 evidently just arrived on their migration down the Nile, and 

 probably some intended to continue their jouiiiey. 



Beak verymuch flattened at the sides and much deeper than 

 it is broad, lower mandible longest. 



Top of the head, nape, back, centre tail-coverts, two middle 

 tail-feathers, and wings dusky brown ; forehead and re- 

 mainder of the plumage white ; secondaries tipped with 

 white ; inner web of the tail-feathers shaded with dusky ; 

 legs and beak vermilion, the latter shading off to yellow 

 towards the end ; irides bro^vn. 



Entire length 17 inches; beak, from the gape, upper 

 mandible 3'1, lower mandible 3'!) to 4*4; wing, carpus to 

 tip, 14 ; tarsus Tl. 



Description taken from three specimens shot by myself iu 

 Upper Egypt. 



Fam. LAEID^. 



333. Larus marinus, Linn. Greater Black-backed Gull. 



According to Von Heuglin (Syst. Ueb. p. 69) this species 

 is met with singly on the Mediterranean coast throughout the 

 year. 



Head, neck, tail, and underparts white ; back, scapulars, 

 and wings deep slate-colour ; primary coverts white, the pri- 

 maries, secondaries, and scapulars tipped with white ; eyelids 

 red ; beak yellow, with a scarlet patch on the lower mandible ; 

 irides pale yellow. 



