. The birds of Europe . es. The young birds of the year present precisely the same disposition ofmarkings and colouring which is so characteristic of the Lestris Pomarinus, being brown, numerously barredwith transverse lines of a richer colour; the legs and a portion of that part of the web nearest the tarsusare flesh-coloured ; the other part of the membrane is black : this very conspicuous character formerly obtainedfor this species the name of Black-toed Gull (Larus crepidatus), an appellation which has long sunk into asynonyme. The Lestris Richardsonii is a more robust and powerful bird th
. The birds of Europe . es. The young birds of the year present precisely the same disposition ofmarkings and colouring which is so characteristic of the Lestris Pomarinus, being brown, numerously barredwith transverse lines of a richer colour; the legs and a portion of that part of the web nearest the tarsusare flesh-coloured ; the other part of the membrane is black : this very conspicuous character formerly obtainedfor this species the name of Black-toed Gull (Larus crepidatus), an appellation which has long sunk into asynonyme. The Lestris Richardsonii is a more robust and powerful bird than the Lestris parasiticus ; and theupper surface of its plumage is darker and more uniform in colour; the two middle tail-feathers scarcelyever exceed the others more than three inches ; and the tai-sus, toes, and interdigital membrane are also con-spicuously larger. Total length 21 inches ; wing 13 inches ; middle tail-feathers 9 inches long, exceeding the rest of the tail3 inches; beak H inch ; tarsus 1 inch 9 ^ | S ^ | Q to d CJ p—1 jd ■s m 4 §d « ■ H ^d & *H «3 PARASITIC GULL. Lestris parasiticus, TILLe Stercoraire parasite. This very elegant and delicately coloured species of Lestris is, we believe, the true parasiticus of Linneus,Buffon, and Temminck. On comparison it will be found to differ very materially from the Lestris Richardsonii,but to which it forms the nearest approach, exhibiting-, however, a well-defined specific character. Nothingcan be more beautiful and complete than the regular gradation which characterizes the species of the genusLestris : commencing with the Skua, which is the largest, a concatenation may be observed throughout thewhole. As the species diminish in size, the elongated tail-feathers are still more lengthened. This characteris carried to an extreme in an American species, which is rather smaller than L. parasiticus, and has thecentral tail-feathers at least five inches longer, while in the Skua they scarcely extend beyond
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