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brown ; scapulars even more so, tbe dark eolour occupying the centre of the feather, the margins being 
whitish ; the first primary white at the base, then entirely black in its whole length, excepting only a fusi- 
form spot of white about ’75 of an inch in extent in its apical portion; the next quill is similar, but with 
more white at the base and a mueh smaller apical spot ; the three succeeding quills white on their outer 
webs, in their basal portion, entirely black beyond ; the secondaries are ash-grey at the base, blackish brown 
in their apical portion, and tipped with lighter grey. Irides purplish brown ; bill yellowish brown, blackish 
at the tip; legs and feet pale flesh-red. 
Fledgling. The following series collected by myself, at one time and in the same nesting-place, exhibits the 
development of the fledgling : — 
No. 1. Is just feathered, but with tufts of blackish-brown down still adhering to the plumage of the 
head and neck and above the tail ; the quills are about four inches long, and their coverts as well as the 
scapulars are blackish brown, edged with fulvous ; irides, bill, and legs black. 
No. 2. More advanced but unable to fly; has the irides black, the bill dull brown, with a darker tip, 
and the legs paler brown ; the first primary marked with a fusiform spot of white about the centre and 
having a minute terminal spot; tail-feathers with a subapical bar of blackish brown on their inner web. 
No. 3. Just able to fly ; has scarcely any indication of brown spots on the wings, but they are con- 
spicuous on the scapulars, and reappear on the inner secondaries ; the first primary is marked as in No. 2, 
but, owing to the development of the feather from its sheath, being much nearer to the distal end, the second 
primary with a smaller white spot about an inch from the tip, and the third black, but all of them having 
white terminal points ; tail white. 
No. 4. Similar to No. 3 and of same age; but having the wing-coverts blackish brown largely margined 
with fulvous, and the dark markings on the scapulars reduced to a rounded subapical spot. 
Obs. It ought to be mentioned that the size and form of the apical spots on the primaries, and the extent of 
the brown markings on the secondaries, are very variable in different examples. I have seen a young bird 
with the white apical markings described above entirely wanting in one wing, and represented in the other 
only by a small round spot on the inner web of the first primary. 
This pretty little Gull is one of our commonest birds, frequenting every part of the coast and being 
equally plentiful at all seasons of the year. It is a bird of very lively habits, and its presence goes 
far to relieve the monotony of a ride over such dreary stretches of sand as the Ninety-mile Beach and 
the coast-line between Wanganui and Wellington. At one time you will meet with a flock of fifty 
or more in council assembled, fluttering their wings, chattering and screaming in a state of high 
excitement ; at another you will observe them silently winnowing the air, turning and passing up and 
down at regular intervals, as they eagerly scan the surface of the water. Here you find them ranged 
apart along the smooth beach like scouts on a cricket-ground ; there you see a flock of them packed 
together on a narrow sand-spit, standing closer than a regiment of soldiers — heads drawn in, one foot 
up, “ standing at ease.” Then again, if you observe them closely, you may see them following and 
plundering the Oyster-catcher in a very systematic manner. Nature has furnished the last-named 
bird with a long bill, with which it is able to forage in the soft sand for blue crabs and other small 
crustaceans. The Eed-billed Gull is aware of this, and cultivates the society of his long-billed 
neighbour to some advantage ; he dogs his steps very perseveringly, walking and flying after him, and 
then quietly standing by till something is captured, when he raises his wings and makes a dash at it. 
The Oyster-catcher may succeed in flying off with his prey ; but the plunderer, being swifter on the 
wing, pursues, overtakes, and compels a surrender. The gentleman of the long hill looks gravely on 
wings at aU ages. In this he is absolutely wrong, for I have traced the young of the former from its earliest condition as a 
fledgling, and there can be no question of the correctness of my diagnosis as given above. The L. jamesoni of Prof. Hutton’s 
Catalogue is undoubtedly the young of L. seopulinus. 
