82 MEDITERRANEAN BLACK-HEADED GULL. 



■while the remainder are marked more regularly, without any zone, 

 with the same two-shaded spots. 



They agree very well with the three eggs figured in Baedeker's 

 ■work. Three skins accompanied the eggs, two in mature breeding 

 plumage, and one in immature dress. 



The male and female in breeding plumage have the head and 

 upper half of the neck of a profonnd black, with the eyelids white; 

 top of the body light lead-colour; inferior half of neck, crop, 

 abdomen, and under tail coverts of a pure white; wing coverts, 

 and basal half of primaries light lead-colour, the rest, just to the 

 point, white; tail pure white; beak, legs, and feet of deep well- 

 marked blood red, with a black transverse band between the point 

 and the angle of the former; the free border of the eyelids dentate, 

 and the colour of red lead; iris dark hazel. 



The winter plumage has been described in the diagnosis. Beak, 

 legs, and iris as in the spring dress. 



According to Degland, the young of the year have the head and 

 neck waved with grey and white; top of the body brown, washed 

 ■with bluish ash, with the borders of the feathers whitish; crop 

 undulated with grey and white, like the neck; abdomen and under 

 tail coverts pure white; wings like the upper parts; primaries black, 

 without white tips; tail white, barred with blackish near the end; 

 beak livid at its base, black at its point; legs livid russet brown. 



The figure in light plumage is a female in winter dress, from 

 Malta, marked "Jan. 25, 1858," and kindly sent me by Mr. Tristram. 

 The figure with a dark head is a male in breeding plumage. The 

 eggs are from my own collection, and were sent me by Mr. Cullen, 

 of Kustendji. 



It has also been figured in Stor. Degl. Uccelli, pi. 526 and 528, in 

 winter plumage, and 527 that of spring; Gould, B. of E., pi. 359, in 

 breeding plumage. 



