244 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 



gates, and is the second Coot killed by him in the same 

 locality within the last few days. 



December 24^. — Examined a living specimen of the 

 Gull tribe. Length, twenty-four inches ; eyes, dark hazel ; 

 outer half of the bill, black; the inner portion being light 

 brown colour ; wings extending full two inches beyond the 

 tail ; upper plumage, greyish-brown, mottled with very 

 light yellowish-brown, becoming lighter and more grey 

 towards the head, which was somewhat of a lighter shade ; 

 under parts, greyish-brown ; legs and feet, clay colour ; 

 nails, black. 



This, according to De Kay, appears to be the Winter 

 Gull {Larus argentatus) in immature plumage. Audubon 

 gives the length of the young of this species as eighteen 

 and three-fourths inches only. The iris of silvery white, 

 mentioned by the former, is, however, altogether wanting, 

 and in that respect it approaches the description of the 

 young Larus marinus, or Great Black-Backed Gull. The 

 identity of this Gull must therefore remain a matter of 

 uncertainty to me. This bird was of a darker brown than 

 any former specimen of the Gull tribe that has come 

 under my observation. It was captured in the Great 

 Sound within the past month. 



Three couple of Snipe (Scolopax wilsonii) were shot in 

 the Governor's Marsh yesterday by two officers of the 

 56th Regiment. This is an unusual occurrence at this 

 late season of the year. 



1852. 



February 28th. — While out with my gun at an early 

 hour this morning, I observed four of the Crow family — 



