WESTERN GULL. 
45 
numerous small somewhat rectangular scales. Hind toe very small and 
elevated ; the fore toes rather long, the fourth little shorter than the third ; all 
scutellate above, and connected by reticulate webs ; the lateral toes margined 
externally with a thick membrane. Claws small, slightly arched, somewhat 
compressed, blunt, that of the middle toe with the inner margin expanded. 
The plumage is full, close, elastic, very soft and blended, on the back and 
wings rather compact. Wings very long, broad (four outer primaries only 
partially developed) ; secondaries broad and narrowly rounded. Tail even 
(not fully developed). 
Bill yellow, with an orange-red patch toward the end of the lower man- 
dible. “ Iris light hazel.” Feet flesh-coloured, claws dusky. The head, 
neck, lower parts, rump, and tail, are pure white ; the back and wings light 
greyish-blue, of a deeper tint than in L. argentatus ; the edges of the wing 
and the extremities of all the quills are white ; the first seven quills are 
greyish-black toward the end, that colour including the outer webs and the 
greater part of the inner of the two first, and on the rest gradually diminish- 
ing, so as on the seventh merely to form a subterminal bar ; the first quill 
With a patch of white on both webs near the end ; the tips of all being white. 
Length to end of tail 25 inches (but the tail is not full grown); bill along 
the ridge 2 T 7 2, along the edge of lower mandible 34, its depth at the base If, 
at the angle ff ; tarsus 2ff ; hind toe' If, its claw ff ; second toe Iff, its 
claw 5 ; third toe 2 T 6 2 , its claw ff ; fourth toe 2j 4 |, its claw ff. 
Young Male. 
Bill flesh-coloured, beyond the nostrils and angle black, with the tips horn • 
coloured. Feet flesh-coloured ; claws brownish-black. The upper part and 
sides of the head, the hind part and sides of the neck light brownish-grey, 
mottled and streaked with white ; on the back the colour is light greyish- 
blue, some of the feathers mottled with brown, the adult plumage having 
been partially assumed ; the win’g-coverts are chiefly of a greyish-brown 
colour ; the primary quills greyish-black, without white at the end ; the 
secondary blackish-grey, margined and tipped with white, finely undulated 
with brown. The rump is white ; the tail greyish-black, tipped with white ; . 
the whole outer web of the outer, and the basal half of that of the next 
feather white ; the lower wing-coverts dusky-grey. All the lower parts are 
greyish-white, obscurely mottled with pale brownish-grey. 
Length to end of tail 27 inches ; bill along the ridge 24, along the edge 
of lower mandible 3 T 2 2 , its height at the base If, at the- angle If ; wing 
from flexure 17f ; tail 7i ; tarsus 2ff ; middle toe 24, its claw If. 
From the above description, it will be seen that in proportions and colour- 
ing this species does not differ much from L. argentatus. It is much 
larger, however ; its bill is deeper and stronger in a very conspicuous degree 
and its tarsi and toes are considerably longer. 
