LAKUS. 317 



Hume, Str. F. ]873, p. 273; (nee Aud) ; Murray, Hdbk., Zool, ^c, 

 Stud, p. 246. — The Lesser Hebring Gull. 



Head, crown, neck and nape white in summer, in winter streaked 

 with dusky brown, and with a dusky eye spot ; chin, throat and breast 

 white ; back dark slaty grey, also the greater and lesser wing-coverts; 

 primaries dark slaty grey, the first six tipped with white, the first 

 with a broad bar and the extreme tip white, the rest only tipped white; 

 secondaries like the back, and tipped with white ; some of the tertials 

 also tipped with white ; under wing-coverts white ; upper and under 

 tail-coverts and tail white. 



Length.—Male 24-2 inches, wing 17-2, tarsus 2-6, mid-toe and claw 

 2-3, bill at front 2-25. 



Length.— Female, 22-Z\nchQS, wing 16-P, tarsus 2-6, mid-toe and 

 claw 2-2, bill at front 2-1 ; bill yellow, the angle on the lower 

 mandible red, irides pale yellow, eyelids yellowish red. 



Sal. — Sind, Beloochistan (Mekran Coast) the Coromandel Coast, 

 Kutch, Guzerat, Concan and Deccan. 



In immense numbers on the Sind and Mekran Coasts. In the 

 Kurrachee harbour in large flocks, feeding among fishermen when 

 landing their nets and about their huts. 



Larus gelastes, Licht. in Thienem. Fort p. fla.nz. Vog. Eur. pt. v. 

 p. 22; Degl. Orn. Eur. ii. p. 818; Bree, B. Eur. 2nd Ed. v. p. 72; 

 Blanf. East. Pers. ii. p. 291. Larus lambruschini, Bp. Schl. Mus. P. 

 Bas. p. 28 ; Hume, Str. F. i. p. 274. 



Summer Plumage. — Entire head, neck, upper back, rump, upper tail- 

 coverts, entire lower parts and tail white, tinged with rosy, except on 

 the head, where the rosy tinge is scarcely perceptible ; mantle, second- 

 aries, tertiaries, lesser and median wing-coverts, and the upper greater 

 coverts, also the wing lining pale bluish French grey, rather pearly 

 grey on the back and tertiaries ; four or five of the primary coverts 

 and edge of the wing white ; primaries, the first white, except the 

 outer web, tip and margin of the inner web ; second to fourth primaries 

 white, the margin of their outer webs narrower and decreasing in 

 extent terminally, and broadening and running up basally on their 

 inner webs, with the black tips broader successively ; fifth and sixth 

 primaries tipped white ; the outer web of the fifth greyish, and that of 

 the sixth slightly darker, with a subterminal dark band; bill, legs 

 and feet deep red ; the bill in some with a blackish tinge ; eyelids bright 

 red ; irides pale yellow. 



Length. — 17 to 18-5 inches, wing 11*5 to 12'0, bill at front 1'6 to 

 1-82, tarsus 2 to 2-12. 



Hab. — Sind (Kurrachee harbour) Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, the 

 Mediterranean and Black Sea, also the Red Sea. 



Numerous everywhere in the Kurrachee harbour during winter. 

 Distinguished from all other species by its never having a hood and 

 the dark spot in front and behind the eye, characteristic of the winter 

 plumage of rldibundvs. 



