— 107 — 



almost extinct in Egypt. I have never met with an example, 

 although I have been within what Shelley considered its 

 breeding place in the breeding season. 



Length about 16 inches. Forehead, cheeks and underparts 

 white, as is also most of the tail ; rest of plumage sooty black. 

 Legs, feet and webbed toes crimson; bill red with yellowish tips 

 to both mandibles. The upper mandible is most considerably 

 shorter than the lower, which is about 5 inches in total length. 



414. Lesser Black-backed GuU. Larus fuscus fuscus Jjirmsdus. 



Larus juscus. Shelley, p. 304. 



Abundant on the coasts, lakes of Lower Egypt, and the 

 Faiyum lake from autumn to late spring, and records of its 

 breeding on the coasts, although not yet forthcoming, would 

 not be surprising. 



Length about 22 inches. In summer the head, neck, 

 tail, rump, underparts and mirrors on primaries are pure white ; 

 rest of plumage black. In winter the head and neck are streaked 

 with brown. Bill yellow, with a patch of red at angle. Legs 

 and feet yellow. The young bird closely resembles that of 

 the herring gull, but may always be distinguished in having 

 the larger wing coverts dull brown without any of the mottling 

 which is always present on these feathers of the herring gulls. 



415. Mediterranean Herring GulL Larus cachinnans Pallas. 



Larus leuco'phaeus. Shelley, p. 304. 



Abundant on the coasts, mouths of the Nile, the lakes 

 of Northern Egypt and the Faiyum, and even ascending the 

 Nile to Upper Egypt during the winter. It is possible that some 

 breed in suitable localities on the coasts or islands near the 

 coasts of Egypt. 



Length about 22 inches. Similar to the herring gull, 

 though sometimes slightly darker grey on the mantle. The 

 legs and feet of adults are, however, bright chrome yelloiv. 



Young mottled birds, during their first years, are not separ- 

 able from young L. argentatus of the same age, but in the 

 second year the legs of L. cachinnans show a yellow tinge. 



416. Herring GulL Larus argentatus Pontoppidan. 



Larus argentatus. Shelley, p. 305. 

 Von Heuglin ("Syst. Ueb." p. 69), vide Shelley, pp. 304, 305, 

 evidently confused this gull with the Mediterranean species, 



