LAUGHING GULL. 161 
and consists of twelve feathers, the two exterior 
J)®* four inches Ioniser than those of the middle, the 
^ J'ple of a deep black, except the two outer feathers, 
I .h'ch are white, but towards the extremities a little 
‘^kish on the inner vanes; legs and webbed feet, 
,?k ; hind toe, short. 
n ^he secondary nlug feathers are eight inches shorter 
the longest primai-y. 
*kis bird frequently settles on the rigging of ships 
and, in common with another species, V?. stolida, 
®9lled by sailors the noddy. 
^ 2 . 
GENUS LXIII. — LAAUX, Li.nsmis. 
^^RUS ATRICILLAf LINNiECS . — LARUS RIDIRUNDUSy WILSON. 
LAUGHING GULL. * 
PLATE LXXIV. FIG. IV. — EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
ij^EN'GTH, seventeen inches; extent, three feet six 
j bill, thighs, legs, feet, sides of the mouth, and 
iijy '^s, dark blood red ; inside of the mouth, vermilion ; 
|)|^> Oearly two inches and a half long; the nostril is 
%lf'^ rather low ; the eyes are black ; above and below 
Of il rye there is a spot of white ; the head and part 
0 .|| I® neck are black, remainder of the neck, breast, 
V* * lower parts, tail-coverts and tail, pure white ; 
Of ■ ^rapulars, wing-coverts, and whole upper parts, are 
lil^V^ne blue ash colour; the first five primaries arc 
''Dt I l^'rards their extremities; the secondaries are 
«|jA largely with w'hite, and almost all the primaries 
’ fl'e b?nd of the wing is white, and nearly 
to,',® Inches loirg; the tail is almost even, it consists of 
® l'nathers,"and its coverts reach within an inch 
Wy kalf of its tip; the wings extend two inches 
Ike tail ; a delicate blush is perceivable on the 
‘‘■east 
and belly ; length of tarsus, tw'o inches. 
> ne head of the female is of a dark dusk,, 
i in other respects, she resembles the male. 
'hi., 
Ill 
* Named in the plate, Black-headed Gull. 
6 
