40 
THE COMMON AMERICAN GULL. 
all scutellate above, and connected by reticulated entire membranes, the 
lateral toes margined externally with a narrow membrane. Claws small, 
compressed, slightly arched, rather obtuse. 
The plumage in general is close, elastic, very soft and blended, on the back 
rather compact. Wings very long, rather broad, acute, the first quill longest, 
the other primaries rapidly graduated ; secondaries broad and rounded, the 
inner elongated and narrow. Tail of moderate length, even, of twelve 
rounded feathers. 
Bill marked opposite the angle with a bi'oad transverse band of brownish- 
black, between which and the base it is light greenish-yellow, the tips 
orange-yellow. Edges of eyelids greenish-yellow ; iris bright yellow. Feet 
greenish-yellow, the webs tinged with orange ; claws black. The general 
colour of the plumage is pure white, excepting the back and wings, which 
are light pearl-grey. The first six quills are black towards their extremities, 
the first and second being almost entirely so, the sixth with only a small 
spot. The tips of these feathers are white, that of the first having merely 
a narrow margin of that colour, which gradually enlarges on the rest, the 
first. moreover has near the end a long patch of white, the second a smaller 
one on the inner web. The proportional size of the white marks on the 
outer primaries varies in individuals. The other quills and secondaries are 
all white at the ends. 
Length to end of tail 20 inches, to end of wings 22i, to end of claws 20£ ; 
extent of wings 48 ; wing from flexure 15J ; tail 6 ; bill along the back If, 
along the edge 21, depth at the base f-L, depth at the prominence h ; bare 
part of the tibia I ; tarsus 2 ; middle toe lfV, its claw ; hind toe its 
claw yL. Weight 1 h lbs. 
Young bird, after first moult, shot on 26th November. 
Bill black, base of lower mandible and edges of upper towards the base, 
livid flesh-colour. Edges of eyelids livid blue ; iris hazel. Feet purplish- 
grey ; claws brownish-black. The general colour of the plumage is dull 
white, mottled with greyish-brown beneath, on the back with large brown- 
ish-black spots, the dark markings being central. Anterior to the eye is a 
crescent of greyish-black. The outer primary quills are black, the two first 
without white at the ends, the rest margined round the ends with that 
colour. The abdominal and tibial feathers are white ; the lower and upper 
tail-coverts white, with brown spots. 
Length to end of tail 18g, to end of wings 20 2 , extent of wings 44£ ; 
tarsus 2 ; middle toe 1 T \, its claw T V Weight 1 lb. 3 oz. 
On a rocky island on the coast of Labrador, where this bird was breeding 
in great numbers, a comparatively small number of individuals only had the 
bill marked with the black ring, the others, although precisely similar in 
