HERRING GULL. 593 



mastered by the Great Black-backed Gulls. On our return we saw old 

 and young on the northern coast of Newfoundland, and on the different 

 bays over which we passed. 



I have represented an adult male, but not one of the largest, and a 

 young bird shot in winter, which I have placed on a bunch of Racoon 

 oysters, where it was standing when shot. 



Lards argentatus, Temm. Man. d'Ornitb. part ii. p. 764. 



Larus argentatus, Ch. Bmiaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 360. 



Larus ahgenTxVTOIDes, Ibidem. 



Adult Male in spring. Plate CCXCI. Fig. 1. 



Bill shorter than the head, robust, compressed, higher near the end 

 than at the base. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight at 

 the base, declinate and arched towards the end, the ridge convex, the sides 

 slightly convex, the edges sharp, inflected, arcuato-declinate towards the 

 end, the tip rather obtuse. Nasal groove rather long and narrow ; nostril 

 in its fore part, lateral, longitudinal, linear oblong, wider anteriorly, per- 

 vious. Lower mandible with the angle long and narrow, the outline of 

 the crura curved, the dorsal line beyond the prominence slightly concave, 

 the sides erect and nearly flat, the edges sharp and inflected. 



Head rather large, oblong, narrowed anteriorly. Neck of moderate 

 length, strong. Body full. Feet of moderate length, rather slender ; 

 tibia bare below ; tarsus somewhat compressed, covered anteriorly with 

 numerous scutella, laterally with angular scales, behind with numerous 

 small rectangular scales ; hind toe very small and elevated, the fore toes 

 of moderate length, rather slender, the fourth longer than the second, the 

 third longest, all scutellate above, and connected by reticulated entire 

 membranes, the lateral toes margined externally with a thick narrow mem- 

 brane. Claws small, slightly arched, depressed, rounded, that of the 

 middle toe with an expanded thin inner margin. 



The plumage in general is close, full, elastic^ very soft and blended, 

 on the back rather compact. Wings very long, broad, acute, the first 

 and second quills nearly equal, the rest of the primaries rather rapidly 

 graduated ; secondaries broad and rounded, the inner narrower. Tail of 

 moderate length, even, of twelve rounded feathers. 



Bill gamboge-yellow, with a large orange-red patch inclining to car- 

 mine towards the end of the lower mandible. Edges of eyelids gamboge; 

 iris silvery white. Feet flesh-coloured ; claws brownish-black. The head, 

 neck, loAver parts, rump and tail, are pure white ; the back and wings 

 VOL. in. r p 



