62 LITTLE GULL. 



greyish black, and several slightly tipped with white; the first 

 primary is black on the outer web, except at the base and 

 tip, the others are dark greyish black, the tips and inner 

 margins of the webs white, gradually increased from the first, 

 which, as just said, has only a small speck of that colour at 

 the end; secondaries, pale bluish grey on the outer webs, 

 edged with dusky black towards the base, the inner webs 

 white, and the tips also white, with more or less black 

 towards the point close to the shaft; tertiaries, mostly greyish 

 black, slightly edged with white at the tips; greater and 

 lesser under wing coverts, grey in winter. The tail, white, 

 is quite square at the end, and the extremities of the feathers 

 black; upper and under tail coverts, white. The legs, which 

 are feathered nearly to the knee, and the toes, bright ver- 

 milion red; the inner one considerably shorter than the others, 

 the middle one rather longer than the outer; webs, bright red. 



In the young bird, towards the close of the first year, the 

 bill is black; forehead and crown, white, tinged with grey, in 

 winter white; head on the sides and back, greyish black; neck 

 on the back, sides, and nape, blackish grey, tinged with brown, 

 the edges of the feathers fringed with greyish white, in winter 

 white; chin, throat, and breast, white; back, pale brownish 

 grey, a few blackish brown feathers interspersed. 



Greater wing coverts, grey, deeply margined with white; 

 lesser wing coverts, brownish black, edged with grey; the 

 first four primaries, greyish black on the outer webs and tips, 

 in winter tipped with white; the inner webs greyish white, in 

 winter nearly entirely white; secondaries, greyish black, tipped 

 with white; greater and lesser under wing coverts, white. Tail, 

 white, broadly tipped with black, widest on the middle part; 

 it is slightly hollowed in shape; the outermost feather on 

 each side entirely white; underneath, the other feathers are 

 white, with a narrow margin of greyish black; upper and under 

 tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, pale dull yellowish red. 



