WEITE-EYED GULL. 69 



tipped witli white. Tail feathers of a brownish smoky tint, approaching 

 black at the base. Beak a reddish brown; feet lead-colour, tending 

 to greenish. 



"Finsch and Hartlaub ascribe to the young bird a clear white 

 chin and upper part of throat; under the throat and crop greyish 

 brown; top and back of the head having some whitish shaft streaks; 

 head and rest of the sides brown; wing coverts bordered with brown; 

 beak black. 



"I have in my 'Fauna of the R.ed Sea' described a Gull with 

 quite similar colours as Larus masunanus of Massowa. It is, however, 

 distinguished chiefly by much slenderer beak and feet, less feathers 

 of the tibia, and rather differently marked secondary wing feathers. 

 Beak 1" 4.7'", tarsus 1" 6"', bare part of tibia 1" 1'", middle toe with 

 nail 1" 4'"; perhaps only a shabby specimen of Larus leiicophthalmus . 



" This beautiful and strikingly marked Gull does not quite rightly 

 deserve its name. The iris of all the numerous specimens observed 

 by me is not white, but umber brown, but above and below the eye 

 is a snow-white crescent-shaped spot. 



"The Adjameh, as the Arabian fishermen call this bird, is an in- 

 habitant of the islands and coasts of the E,ed Sea and of the Galf 

 of Aden, but only on the most northern parts of the former. Also 

 in the Gulfs of Aquabah and Suez it becomes more rare. I have never 

 met with it on inland waters, nor on the mouths of the Nile Delta. 

 Captain Shelley says indeed that it appears on the Egyptian northern 

 coasts, yet it follows from the description of this traveller, that he 

 has not himself observed the bird. (Legs brownish red; irides white.) 



"From the height of Quoseir southwards, the White-eyed Gull is 

 met with very generally on coral islands, in creeks and harbours, in 

 still weather on the high sea following the tracks of broods of fish, 

 at the same time as the Walthieren or large fish of prey do likewise. 



"This Gull, like most of its allies, is of a very sociable and lively 

 nature. In quiet weather, numerous but not closely compacted flocks 

 are seen flying along the shore, like Marsh Gulls. Their note 

 resembles the latter, and sounds almost like 'gia,' but their move- 

 ment in the air appeared to me rather more clumsy. 



"The Adjameh likes to come down violently on the surface of the 

 water, yet it takes its food while floating, as well as during its 

 loiterings on the strand and on the sand-banks along the tide-mark, 

 or wading here and there. During the hottest part of the day 

 sometimes large flocks may be observed on flat sand ridges or pro- 

 jecting spots resting, with their heads turned towards the wind. 

 They even alight on the thatched roofs of the fishermen's huts, and 

 on the masts of the boats lying at anchor. 



