• THE 'WHITE-WIN' GEt) SILVERY GULL. 
43 
narrow; nostrils in its fore part, lateral, longitudinal, linear, wider anteriorly, 
open and pervious. Lower mandible with a prominence at the end of the 
angle, which is long and narrow, the dorsal line then nearly straight and 
ascending, the sides flat and slightly inclined, the edges sharp and inflected. 
Head rather large. Neck of moderate length. Body rather full. Wings 
very long. Feet of moderate length, rather slender; tibia bare below; tarsus 
somewhat compressed, covered before with numerous broad scutella, laterally 
and behind with roundish scales, on the outer side also with a row of small 
scutella ; toes of moderate length, rather slender, all covered above with 
scutella ; the anterior connected by reticulated webs, the two lateral with an 
external thick margin ; the first extremely small, the third longest, the fourth 
longer than second ; claw of hind toe smallest, of third largest, with an inner 
thin edge, of second next in size, all more or less compressed and obtuse. 
The plumage in general is close, elastic, very soft and blended, on the back 
rather compact. Wings very long, broad, pointed ; primaries tapering, the 
first longest, the second slightly shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secon- 
daries broad and rounded, the inner elongated and rather narrow. Tail 
of moderate length, even, of twelve broad feathers. 
Bill gamboge-yellow, with a spot of orange-red near the end of lower *' 
mandible ; the angle of the mouth and the edges of the eyelids are also 
orange-red. Iris pale yellow. Feet pale flesh-colour ; claws greyish-brown. 
The whole plumage is pure white, excepting the back and upper surface of 
wings ; the tips of the secondaries, the terminal third or so of the primaries, 
their shafts, and the upper tail-coverts also white. 
Length to end of tail 26 inches, to end of wings 28J ; extent of wings 50 ; 
bill along the back 11, along the edges 2i ; tarsus 2 \ ; middle toe 2 r V, its 
claw t G ; wing from flexure 17 h. ; tail 6£. 
Young in winter. 
Bill yellow, the tips black. Edges of eyelids pale reddish-orange ; iris 
brown. Feet yellowish flesh-colour ; claws greyish-brown. The plumage 
is yellowish-grey, marked on the head and neck with longitudinal streaks 
of pale brown, on the back and wings with transverse undulations, those on 
the tail much fainter ; the first six quills destitute of markings. 
