6o 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
dusky-grey shade on the hinder part ; a small dusky spot in 
front of the eye and another greyish spot behind the ear-coverts. 
The white under parts have generally a distinct rosy-blushj 
which is also seen on the white of the primaries. 
Young. — Brown above, with sandy-brown edges to most of 
the feathers, which are grey at the base ; the rump and upper 
tail-coverts white, with sandy- coloured edgings; tail also wliite, 
with a band of black at the end of all but the outermost 
feathers ; lesser wing-coverts white or tinged with grey ; median 
wing-coverts brown, like the inner secondaries, edged with 
sandy buff ; greater coverts pearly-grey ; primaries as in the 
adult, with tiny whity-brown tips, but with much more black on 
both webs, the black approaching the shaft; secondaries grey, 
broadly tipped with white, and with a longitudinal black mark 
towards the end of the outer web, decreasing in e.xtent on the 
inner secondaries ; head uniform brown, the hind-neck white, 
flecked with brown like the sides of the face ; forehead and 
eyebrows whitish ; feathers in front of the eye, and a large patch 
on the car-coverts, dusky-blackish ; throat and under surface of 
body white ; fore-neck, chest, and sides of body washed with 
sandy-brown; “bill dull yellow, passing into black at the angle; 
tarsi and toes reddish-yellow” (Saunders.) 
Regarding the changes of this bird, Mr. Saunders says : 
“ More or less of a brown hood is assumed when the bird is 
barely a year old, and the band on the tail is lost by the 
following autumn, when the new primaries appear, with — as 
has been said — a larger proportion of black than in the adult. 
In fact, the duration of the immature phase is very short. The 
bird does not breed until the following (or second) spring. 
Occasionally the black from the margins of the inner webs of 
the three outer quills runs in and reaches the shafts, much 
encroaching upon the usual white centres, though not to the 
same extent on both wings of the same bird.” 
Characters. —d'he dark brown hood of this species easily 
distinguishes it when adult, and young birds can be told by the 
broad black edging which compasses the inner web of the first 
three primary quills. 
Range in Great Britain. — This well-known species nests in 
colonies in various places throughout the three kingdoms, and 
