552 LARID^E. 



a half of the tips, the white sometimes continued to the 

 tip ; the tips of the first and second of these quill-feathers 

 in some white, in others black ; the tips of the third, 

 fourth, and fifth white, giving the wing when closed a 

 spotted appearance ; the sixth primary quill-feather with 

 a white shaft, having tUe web more or less black, but 

 principally white, with sometimes a black spot near the 

 end ; the other primaries, the secondaries, and the ter- 

 tials white; the whole under parts of the wings white. 

 The wings extend an inch or more beyond the longest 

 feather of the tail. The legs, feet, and claws black ; the 

 thigh feathered to within three-eighths of an inch of the 

 knee : the tail with its upper and under coverts white ; 

 the tail-feathers twelve, the outer narrower than the centre 

 ones ; the outer tail-feathers about one inch longer than 

 those in the middle. It is probable that in its immature 

 and winter state it resembles other black-headed Gulls, in 

 being divested of the dark colour of its head. The whole 

 length is thirteen inches ; wing, from the wrist, ten inches 

 and three-quarters." 



Mr. Thompson's description of the autumnal plumage of 

 the young bird of the first year is, " the forehead, space 

 immediately above the eye, and between it and the bill, 

 (with the exception of the narrow line of greyish-black 

 closely encircling the front and lower part of the eye,) 

 upper part of the throat, and sides of the neck are white ; 

 crown, nape, and back of the neck blackish -grey ; back, 

 scapulars, greater and lesser wing-coverts blackish-grey, 

 tinged with yellowish-brown, the extremity of every 

 feather varying from greyish-white to white, as it ap- 

 proaches the tail; under part of the throat, and upper 

 part of the breast pale ash colour ; lower breast and all 

 the under plumage white ; shafts of the first six pri- 

 maries brownish-black at base, becoming gradually darker 



