162 MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE LARIN^. [Feb. 5, 



mind, to prevent confusion, although I have endeavoured to avoid 

 any ambiguity on this point. 



Genus Pagophila. 



The short stout bill, coarse rough feet with serrated membranes,, 

 much excised webs, and strong curved elaws appear to entitle this 

 species to generic separation. The hallux is connected on the inside 

 of the foot by a serrated membrane with the inner toe, a peculiarity 

 which I do not recollect seeing noticed elsewhere. The name has 

 been in use for nearly half a century, and is of general acceptance. 



1. Pagophila eburnea (Phipps). 



Larus eburneus, Phipps, Vov. N. Pole, App. p. 187 (1774) ; Gm. 

 Syst. Nat. i. p. 596 (1788); Scoresbv, Arct. Vov. i. p. 535 (1820) 

 (Spitzbergen); Schl. Mus. P.-Bas, Lari, p. 6 (1868). 



Larus Candidas, Mtiller, Prodromus, p. viii. (1776); O. Fabr. 

 Faun. Green, p. 103 (1730). 



Larus niveus, Bodd. T. des PI. Enl. p. 58, no. 994 (1783) (nee 

 Pallas). 



Larus albus, Schaff. Mus. Orn. p. 65, tab. 42 (1789). 



Gavia eburneus, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563; Brehm, Yog. Deutsche 

 p. 765 (1831). 



Pagophila eburnea, Kaup, Nat. Syst. eur. Th. pp. 69, 196 (1829); 

 Gray, Gen. Birds, iii. p. 655 (1849) ; Newton, Ibis, 1865, p. 507 

 (Spitzbergen, breeding); P. "Wright, Ibis, 1866, p. 217 (Polynia 

 Island, breeding); Dresser, B. of Eur. pts. lix. lx. May 1877- 



Gavia nivea, Brehm, Vog. Deutsch. p. 766 (1831). 



Cetosparactes eburneus, Macgill. Man. Brit. Orn. pt. ii. p. 252 

 (1842); Brit, Birds, vol. v. 



Larus brachytarsus, Holb. Fn. Groenl. p. 52 (1846). 



Pagophila eburneus, Bruch, J. f. Orn. 1853, p. 106. 



Pagophila brachytarsa, Bruch, J. f. Orn. 1853, p. 106 ; Lawr. B» 

 N. Am. p. 856 (1858); vide Reinht. Ibis, 1861, p. 18. 



Pagophila nivea, Bp. Compt. Rend. xliL p. 771 (1856); Consp. 

 Av. ii. p. 230 (1857). 



Larus (Pagophila) eburnea, Coues, B. N.W. Am. p. 648 (1874). 



Hab. Arctic regions, from Novaya Zemlya to Baffin's Bay, and 

 the eastern portion of Arctic America, but not as yet found in the 

 North Pacific. Straggles down the western coast of Europe and 

 Eastern America in winter. I can see no reason for considering 

 Holboll's L. brachytarsus to be a distinct species. 



Genus Bissa. 



The principal characteristic assigned to this genus by Leach is- 

 the rudimentary character, or absence, of the hind toe. As this 

 is not always constant, and as certain rare individuals from 

 the North Pacific out of many hundreds, are occasionally to be 

 found with a visible hind claw, and even with a nail, it has been 

 urged by some svstematists that it is not a valid genus. The 

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