70 
own collection, killed at Hasborough, the plumage is particularly 
interesting as showing the last trace of immaturity in the primary 
quills. Each of these feathers, though broadly tipped with white, 
has a patch of black of more or less extent forming with the whig 
closed, three alternate bands of black and white towards the 
extremity of the feathers, but in this transition state, the gradual 
encroachment of the pale grey and absorption, as it were, of the 
dark patches, by an actual change of colour in the feathers, and 
not by moulting is very remarkable ; a process, moreover, which is 
clearly perceptible in far less mature specimens. The tail feathers 
in this bird are pure white, but the feet and legs were somewhat 
less vivid in colour than in other adult specimens. 
In the adult bird the beak is dark brown, becoming reddish 
brown on the lower mandible ; inside of the mouth rich salmon 
colour; feet and legs vermilion red, inclining to orange in some 
cases. In the young bird the beak is almost black, throughout ; 
the inside of the mouth lighter in tint than in the adult ; legs and 
feet livid pink. The irides in both old and young dark brown, 
but no colouring round the eye-lid at this season of the year. 
The stomachs of some of those dissected contained remains of 
small fish, shrimps, and sand worms, with sand and gritty sub- 
stances. In the stomach of one were five sticklebacks, some of 
which could be identified as the ten-spined species ; in another was 
a small fragment of chalk with seaweed attached, and something 
very Hke a minute portion of mutton fat. Examples in the flesh, 
weighed by Mr. T. E. Gunn, varied from three ounces in immature 
birds to four and a half ounces in adults. 
