358 Synopsis of the Birds 



292. Larus minutus, Pallas. Mantle pearl-gray ; quills white 

 at the point, shafts blackish ; tarsus one inch long ; hind toe 

 very small, nail straight, hardly apparent. 



Summer plumage, a black hood : winter, no hood. 



Young spotted with cinereous and blackish, tail some- 

 what forked, with a black subterminal band. 



Little Gull, Latham. Larus minutus, Gm. Lath. Sabine. 

 Naum. Vog. t. 3./. 72. adult in full dress. 



Inhabits the north of both continents : very seldom seen in 

 the United States, common in Asia and eastern Europe. 



293. Larus capistratus, Temm. Mantle pearl-gray; quills 

 black at the point, outer white, internally pale ash ; shafts 

 white; bill very slender ; tarsus less than one inch and a half ; 

 tail sub-emarginate. 



Summer plumage, head only with a light-brown hood: 

 winter, no hood. 



Young spotted with grayish and blackish ; tail with a black 

 subterminal band. 



Brown-masked Gull, Larus capistratus, JVbJ. Am. Orn. 

 iv. pi. 



Inhabits the north of both continents : not very rare during 

 autumn on the Delaware, and especially the Chesapeake; 

 found as far inland as Trenton : very rare on the coasts of 

 Europe. Together with the preceding, unite the genera 

 Larus and Sterna. Closely allied, and extremely similar to 

 Larus ridibundus of Europe, hardly distinguished but by its 

 smaller size, and its still more slender, Tern-like bill.* 



* Larus ridibundus, L. Mantle pearl-gray ; quills black at the point; 

 outer white ; internally blackish ; shafts white; bill slender; tarsus one 

 inch and three quarters; tail slightly rounded. 



Summer plumage, head and part of the neck, with a dark brown hood ; 

 winter, no hood. 



Young spotted with brownish and yellowish, tail with a black subtermi- 

 nal band. 



