177 



sabine's xeme. 



(Xema Sabini.) 



Xe. albidus capite nigricante, torque cervicali nigro, rostro basi 



nigra, apice luteo, pedibus nigris. 

 Whitish Xeme with the head dusky, the neck with a black collar, 



the base of the beak black, the tip luteous, the legs black. 

 Xema Sabini. Leach. Ross's Voy. App. p. lvi. 

 Larus Sabini. Sabine. Linn. Trans, xii. 520.pl. 29. 

 Larus eollaris. 

 Fork-tailed Gull. Lath. Gen. Hist. x. 142. 



This interesting bird was discovered during the 

 first expedition in search of a north-west passage, and 

 is thus accurately described by Mr. Sabine, in the 

 Linnean Transactions above cited : - " The male and 

 female are nearly the same size ; the latter is rather 

 the smallest, but their plumage is exactly similar. 

 The length of different specimens varies from twelve 

 and a half to fourteen inches ; the extent of the wings 

 is about thirty-three inches, and the weight from six 

 and a half to seven and a half ounces. The beak is 

 one inch long, the base of both mandibles black as 

 far as the angular projection of the lower mandible, 

 the remainder yellow ; the inside of the mouth bright 

 vermilion : the irides dark, surrounded by a naked 

 circle of the same colour as the inside of the mouth ; 

 a small white speck beneath the eye, scarcely per- 

 ceptible : the whole of the head and upper part of 

 the neck a very dark ash or lead-colour ; the re- 

 mainder of the neck behind and before, as well as 



v. xiii. p. i. 12 



