Order ANSERES.J [Fam. LAEIPJE. 



LAEUS BULLERI. 



(BLACK-BILLED GULL.) 



Bruchigavia mehowrhyncha, Buller, Ibis, 1869, p. 43. 

 Lams (Bruchigavia) melavorhynclms, Finsch, torn. (At. p. 381. 

 Lams iulleri, Hutton, Cat. Birds of N. Z., 1871, p. 41. 

 Larus iulleri, Potts, Ibis, 1872, p. 38. 



Ad. supra dilutissime cinereus : pileo cum collo postico et interscapulio, dorso postico uropygio et corpora 

 subtus toto, albis : plaga nuchali indistincta brunnea : tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, exteriori- 

 bus et ala spuria pure albis : remigibus dilutissime cinereis dorso concoloribus, apicem versus albis, prima- 

 riis albis, pogoniis ambobus et apice pennarum plus minusve late nigro marginatis, hae albo terminate : 

 cauda, omnino alba, : rostro nigro : pedibus nigricanti-brunneis : iride argenteo-alba. 



Juv. dorso et scapularibus obscure brunneo notatis, plumis albo tcrminatis subterminaliter grisescenti-brunneo 

 fasciatis : tectricibus alarum medi 

 medialiter distincte brunneo lavatis 



fasciatis : tectricibus alarum medianis grisescenti-brunneis albido marginatis : secundariis intimis 



Adult. General plumage pure white ; back, scapulars, and upper surface of wings delicate ash-grey ; breast 

 and sides of the body suffused with a beautiful rosy blush, which fades after death, or entirely disap- 

 pears. The primary quills are white, eccentrically varied with black ; the first primary is narrowly 

 margined on its outer and marked diagonally on its inner web ; on the next the black increases, and 

 forms a broad subtcrminal bar, which enlarges on the two succeeding ones, and decreases on the fifth ; 

 the sixth is ashy, with merely a subterminal interrupted bar of black. Irides silvery white ; bill black, 

 sometimes tinged with red towards the base ; legs and feet blackish brown. Total length 15 inches ; 

 extent of wings 35; wing, from flexure, 11'75 ; tail4 - 5; bill, along the ridge l - 5, along the edge of 

 lower mandible 2; bare tibia "75; tarsus 1-5; middle toe and claw 1*5 j hind toe and claw -3. 



Young. Has the plumage of the back and the scapulars obscurely spotted with brown, each feather having 

 a white tip bounded below by an irregular spot of greyish brown ; the median wing-coverts greyish 

 brown with a whitish margin ; the long inner secondaries largely marked in their central portion with 

 greyish brown. 



Obs. The extent of the black markings on the primaries is very variable; and in some examples the first 

 quill is largely tipped with black. There appears to be a seasonal change in the colour of the bill and 

 legs, the former becoming dull yellow, stained at the tips with brown, and the tarsi and toes changing 

 to pale orange-red, with darker webs and black claws. 



The Black-billed Gull was originally described by myself, as already cited, under the name of 

 Bruchifftma melanorhyncha; but as the retention of Bonaparte's subdivision is considered undesi- 



