RED-LEGGED GULL. c 203 



the occiput of a clear brown : a large white spot be- 

 hind the eyes : the under parts and a collar on the 

 nape white, which colour is slightly tinted with rosy 

 on the fore part of the neck, and marked with brown 

 crosses on the sides of the body: the top of the back, 

 the scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts are deep brown 

 edged with yellowish : the upper edge of the wing, 

 the rump, and the greater part of the tail-feathers 

 are white ; the latter being terminated by a band of 

 blackish-brown : the quills are white at their origin 

 and on their inner webs ; black externally and at 

 their tips : the greater coverts are ashy-blue : the 

 base of the beak is livid, its tip black : the legs are 

 yellowish. At the first autumnal moult the upper 

 part of the back is ashy-blue, varied with several 

 brown feathers ; the wing is also of an ashy-blue, but 

 the feathers are spotted with brown and bordered 

 with yellowish : the forehead and all the under parts 

 pure white : the head is white spotted with very clear 

 ash : before the eyes there is a brown spot, as well as 

 another behind on the orifice of the ears : the base 

 of the beak is reddish, its point is brown. They 

 retain their plumage during the first winter, and 

 after the next vernal moulting the summer plumage 

 is perfected. At this time all the head and the top 

 of the neck are clothed, as it were, in a hood, of a 

 very deep brown : the eyelids are surrounded with 

 white feathers : the lower part of the neck, and all 

 the plumage of the under parts, are of a beautiful 

 rosy-white (but the rosy tinge disappears towards 

 the autumn) : the beak and legs are deep carmine : 



