LAUGHING GULL. 119 
and almost all the primaries slightly ; the bend of the wing 
is white, and nearly three inches long ; the tail is almost even ; 
quill-feathers, which, on the third and following ones, are very conspicuous in 
L. zonorhynchus. It differs, however, remarkably, in its bill being shorter, though 
considerably stouter, than that of our L. canus, and, like it, it is wax-yellow, 
with a bright yellow rictus and point. Its tarsus is nearly one-third shorter than 
that of Z. zonorhynchus. Many may be disposed to consider this and the preced- 
ing as merely local varieties of ZL. canus; and it might be urged, in support of 
this opinion, that there are considerable differences in the length and thickness 
of the bills of individuals of the common and winter gulls killed on the English 
coasts, which are all usually referred to L. canus. We have judged it advisable, 
however, to call the attention of ornithologists to these American birds, by giving 
them specific names, leaving it to future observation to determine whether they 
ought to retain the rank of species, or be considered as mere varieties.”— 
RICHARDS. 
In this place must be introduced the genus Lestris or Skua, of which 
only one species was enumerated by Wilson in his List—the L. cataractes, 
Nliger—the common Skua gull of British ornithologists. The Prince of 
Musignano mentions, in addition, the now well-known European and 
British species, LZ. parasiticus and pomarinus, another somewhat allied, 
but not yet well distinguished, LZ. Buffonii, Boje ; and a fifth species is 
described as new in the “ Northern Zoology,’ and is dedicated to Dr 
Richardson—Z. Richardsonii. It seems closely allied to LZ. Buffoni, 
but the distinctions yet want clearness and confirmation, It was found 
breeding in considerable numbers in the barren grounds at a distance 
from the coast. The following are Bonaparte’s characters of L. Buffonii, 
by which it is alone known :— 
Lestris Buffonii, Bojé.—Bill, one inch and a quarter from the front, straight, 
notched ; middle tail-feathers, gradually tapering, narrow for several inches, 
ending in a point; tarsus, one inch and a half long, almost smooth. Adult, 
brown; neck and beneath, white, the former tinged with yellow. Young, 
wholly brownish. 
“* Arctic bird, Edw. pl. 148; Buff. Pl. enl. 762; Lestris crepidata, Brehm.”— 
Bonap. Syn. No. 306. 
And I add the observations of Mr Swainson regarding LZ. Richard- 
sont :— 
‘‘Richardson’s jager, whole plumage, brown; two middle tail-feathers, ab- 
ruptly acuminated ; tarsi, black, twenty-two lines long. 
‘‘This specimen appears to us to be in full and mature plumage; we cannot, 
therefore, view it as the young, or even as the female, of the Lestris Buffonii of 
Bojé, which we only know from the characters assigned to it by the Prince of 
Musignano. According to this account, the LZ. Buffonii has the bill an inch and 
a quarter long from the front; ours is only an inch: the tarsi are described as 
almost smooth, whereas in ours they are particularly rough. The adult, as 
figured on plate 762 of the Pl. Enl., has the chin, throat, and sides of the neck 
quite white ; but, in our bird, these parts are of the same pure and decided tint 
as that of the body, except that the ear-feathers, and a few lower down the neck, 
