160 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS, 



reaches the adult stage of its existence. The progress 

 of young Gulls and Terns towards maturity is very 

 similar to that of the Plovers and Sandpipers, only the 

 difference in colour between the immature birds and 

 their parents is much more striking. In the Terns the 

 young in first plumage have dark brown sub-margins 

 and pale buff margins to the ear coverts, the feathers of 

 the mantle, the scapulars, innermost secondaries, upper 

 tail coverts, the tips of the tail feathers, and a few 

 feathers on the breast and lower back. After their first 

 autumn moult, which begins directly after the former 

 plumage has been acquired, the margins are only re- 

 tained on the scapulars, innermost secondaries, and tips 

 of the tail feathers. In spring the traces of immaturity 

 are nearly lost, being confined to the wing coverts, which 

 are streaked with brown, and the black on the head is 

 not so much developed. In the Black-headed group of 

 Gulls the young in first plumage have the scapulars, 

 innermost secondaries, and mantle brown, with pale 

 edges ; the crown, nape and ear coverts are brown, and 

 the tail is subterminally banded with the same colour. 

 As soon as this plumage has been acquired the second 

 plumage begins to be assumed, in which the principal 

 traces of immaturity are still confined to the scapulars 

 and innermost secondaries ; the tail band remains the 

 same, and the wing coverts are streaked with brown. 

 This plumage is carried through the winter until the 



