WEDGE-TAILED GULL. 45 



THE WEDGE-TAILED GULLS. GENUS RHODOSTETIIIA. 



Rhodostethia^ Bp. Comp. List B. Etir. and N. Amer. p. 62 

 (1838). 



Type R. rosea (Macgill.). 



The present genus, which contains only a single species, has 

 the tail wedge-shaped, the two middle feathers more than half 

 an inch longer than the next pair, and nearly two inches longer 

 than the outermost tail-feather. 



1. THE WEDGE-TAILED GULL. RHODOSTETHIA ROSEA. 



Larus roseus^ Macgill. Mem. Wern. Soc. v. no. xiii. p. 249 



(1824). 

 Rhodostethia rossi^ Richardson; Macgill. Brit. B. v. p. 618 



(1852). 

 Rhodostethia rosea. Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 343, pi. 594 



(1877); B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 192 (1883); Saunders, 



ed. Yarrell's Brit. B. iii. p. 572 (1884); id. Man. Brit. B. 



p. 643 (1889) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. parts xvii. xxiii. 



(1893); Saunders, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 167 (1896). 

 Larus rossii, Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 305 (1885). 



Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. General colour above light 

 pearly -grey ; quills pearly-grey, with a blackish outer web to 

 the first primary ; secondaries white at the ends ; rump, upper 

 tail-coverts, and wedge-shaped tail white; head and neck all 

 round white, with a black collar round the latter; under 

 parts white, the under wing-coverts and quill-linings grey ; 

 axillaries white ; bill black ; a vermilion ring round the eye ; 

 tarsi, toes, and their webs bright red, 



The whole of the white parts in this species are suffused 

 with a beautiful blush of rose-colour, whence the bird is often 

 popularly known as " Ross's Rosy Gull." 



Adult in Winter Plumage. Wants the black collar round the 

 neck, and, according to Mr. Saunders, the rosy colour is not so 

 prominent at this season of the year. 



