GAVi^. 295 



293. LARUS RIDIBUNDUS. 

 (BLACK-HEADED GULL.) 



Larus ridihundus, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 225 (1766). 



The Black-headed Gull is one of the smaller species (wing from 

 carpal joint 12| to \\\ inches). When adult the bill, legs, and feet 

 are coral-red, and the mantle pale grey. In summer the head is 

 dark brown. 



A white band runs down the centre of the second primary to 

 ■within an inch of the tip ; and the outer primary-coverts are for the 

 most part white. 



Figures : Gould, Birds of Great Britain, v. pi. 64; Dresser, Birds 

 of Europe, viii. pi. 597. fig. 1. 



The Black-headed Gull probably breeds in Yezzo (Swinhoe, Ibis, 

 1874, p. 165), and migrates in autumn as far south as Yokohama, 

 whence it was procured by the Perry Expedition (Cassin, Exp. Am. 

 Squad. China Seas and Japan, ii. p. 232), and whence there are 

 several skins in winter plumage in the Pryer collection. There 

 is an example in the Norwich Museum obtained at Nagasaki by 

 Mr. Ringer. It is a Palaearctic species, breeding in the British 

 Islands and in various inland localities across Temperate Europe and 

 Southern Siberia to Northern Japan. 



294. STERNA DOUGALLI. 



(ROSEATE TERN.) 



Sterna dougdlli, Montagu, Orn. Diet. Suppl. (1813). 



The Roseate Tern agrees with the Common and Daurian Terns in 

 having a black forehead ; the rump and upper tail-coverts are 

 suffused with grey, the white margins of the inner webs of the 

 primaries extend to the tips of the feathers ; the bill is black, and 

 the feet are red. 



Figures : Gould, Birds of Great Britain, v. pi. 71 ; Dresser, Birds 

 of Europe, viii. pi. 581. 



There is an example of the Roseate Tern from the Loo-Choo 

 Islands in the Pryer collection (Seebohm, Ibis, 1887, p. 181). 



