THE GULL FAMILY 323 



Young. — The bill flesh-coloured at the base, 

 brownish-black towards the end ; eyelids dusky ; 

 head and neck dirty white, streaked with dull brown. 

 Upper parts mottled with dull brown and brownish- 

 white ; lower parts white, spotted with brown ; 

 quills brownish-black ; tail white, with a bar of 

 black at the end ; legs and feet purplish flesh- 

 coloured. 



THE BROWN-HOODED GULL. 

 (Larus ridibundus.) 



Male. — The bill and eyelids are carmine ; iris 

 brown. Head and throat deep brown, on the hind- 

 part brownish-black. Back and wings light bluish- 

 grey. Some of the quills are marked with black, 

 the tips being white. Upper tail coverts and tail 

 white ; lower parts white ; legs and feet carmine. 

 Length, from bill to end of tail, sixteen inches. 



The female is similar to the male. 



In the winter the dark brown hood is lost ; a few 

 faint grey marks on the head, a blackish crescent 

 before the eye, and a patch behind it, only indicate 

 where the hood has been. The other parts of the 

 plumage, bill, and feet are as in the breeding plumage 

 given above. 



