THE BROWN-HEADED GULL. 397 



white tips. The first primaries become of a deep brown, 

 but quite unbroken by any other colour. The next spe- 

 cies are brown with a white spot on each, and from the 

 sixth to the tenth are white with brown shafts. The under 

 side of the wing becomes at the same time silvery white. 



The range of these birds southward during the winter sea- 

 son is very considerable, and extends as far at least as the 

 Mediterranean. In winter they do not seem to make their 

 appearance on the northern islands, but the confounding of 

 the species by common observers renders the accounts that 

 we have of them open to some suspicion. 



THE BROWN-HEADED GULL (LctTUS Capistratus). 



This species is nearly of the same lineal dimensions as the 

 former, but it is more slender in the form, and has the 

 bill and feet small, and approaching in character to those 

 of the terns. The short and slender bill, and the diminished 

 tarsi, toes, and webs, all point out a bird that catches 

 smaller prey, and depends more on the wing for the cap- 

 ture of it. 



The bill, tarsi, and toes, are brownish red, the webs be- 

 tween the latter chocolate brown. The top of the head 

 broccoli brown, ending in black, but not reaching so far 

 down the nape or in front as the cape of the black-headed 

 species. A few of the feathers at the front margins have 

 white tips ; and the rest of the neck, the breast, and all the 

 under parts, are pure white. The upper surface of the 

 wings is pale ash grey, and the under greyish white. The 

 primary quills are white, tipped and margined with black, 

 which is broadest on the inner webs. The winter changes 

 have not been very minutely examined ; but it is probable 

 that they resemble those of its congeners. 



This gull ranges far over the North Sea, seldom makes its 

 appearance on our southern shores, though understood to 



