8 30 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



B. Xemea, usually of smaller size ; feet longer and more slender; 

 a dark hood in summer. 



A. Lareee. 



Gen. Larus, Linn, (as restricted). 



Syn. Clupellarus, Bon. 



Char. — Bill moderately long, strong, deep, much compressed ; 

 wings long, exceeding the tail ; head and neck white, in winter 

 streaked with brown. Of somewhat large size. 



978. Larus fuscus, Linn^us. 



Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 431 — Blyth, Cat. 1685— Jerdon, 

 Cat. 407. 



The Lesser Black-backed Gull. 



Descr. — In summer plumage, head, neck, upper tail-coverts, and 

 tail pure white ; body above, including the wing-coverts, greyish- 

 black ; scapulars black, tipped with white ; quills black, the 1st 

 (and sometimes the 2nd quill) with a white spot near the tip ; 

 and the secondaries with a large border of the same colour. 



Bill citron-yellow, red at the lower angle ; eyelids orange ; 

 irides pale yellow ; feet dull yellow. Length about 2 feet ; wing 

 18 to 19 inches; tail 8 ; bill at front ly 8 ^ ; tarsus 2\. 



In winter the head, round the eyes, and the upper part of the 

 neck are streaked longitudinally with light brown ; and the young 

 are more or less spotted with brown throughout. 



I obtained a young bird of this species far inland, near Jaulna in 

 the Deccan, and have not again observed it, nor has it, that I am 

 aware, been procured by any one else. Major Tickell, indeed, 

 informed me that he had frequently seen in the harbour at Akyab 

 a large black-backed gull, which was probably this species ; or 

 could it have been Larus marinus ? 



The lesser black-backed gull is found throughout the northern 

 and temperate parts of the old world, breeding in Britain, often 

 far inland, and laying three or four oil-green eggs blotched with 

 brownish-black. 



