502 
IVORY GULL. 
thick, fine white down. The ground-colour of the whole 
plumage is of a delicate glossy ivory-white (as the name 
indicates), with brownish - black circular spots disper- 
sed through it; these are very sparingly distributed on 
the back and lower part of the body ; most numerous on 
the wing-coverts and scapulars : the tail and primaries! 
tipped with the same colour: the throat is mottled in a 
similar manner : the dusky spots are, however, of a paler 
shade, running more into each other. The forehead and 
space between the eyes and bill, lead-colour. The tail con- 
sists of only eleven feathers, but this may be accidental. 
Its sex was very distinctly male ; and I should be disposed 
to consider it a bird of the second year 
This species in its adult summer-plumage is of a snowy 
whiteness, and in this state has been often and accurately 
described by many naturalists. I do not, however, find 
any account of its winter-dress, or whether, during that 
season, it assumes a similar change of colour about the 
head as its congenerous species. 
Fabricius, in his Fauna Grosnlandica, states, that it 
generally keeps out at sea, seldom approaching the land ; 
" et tunc admodum incautus, ut facile occidatur." It is 
little fastidious in the selection of its food, and very vora- 
cious, feeding chiefly on carrion. The voice is harsh and 
strong. The mode of breeding seems not to have been 
ascertained. It is pecuharly an arctic bird, inhabiting 
chiefly Spitzbergen, and the highest northern latitudes. 
* Meyer describes a second year's bird having the characters here stated. 
Meyer's specimen, however, was killed in March. — Edit. 
