LARUS. 423 
the Gannets, and about the breeding-places they feed largely at the expense of the 
latter 8, 
Heermann’s Gull feeds on small fish, crustacea, and mollusca, and sometimes robs 
the Pelicans of their prey’. The egg is described by Dr. Brewer as of a deep drab- 
colour, with large dark bistre blotches scattered over the surface and a few lilac 
under-markings °. 
‘5. Larus argentatus. 
Larus argentatus, Brinn. Orn. Bor. p. 44. no. 149*; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds 
N. Amer. ii. p. 2357; Saunders, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 260°; Oates, Cat. Eggs 
Brit. Mus. i. p. 215°; Allen, Auk, xix. p. 283°. 
Larus smithsonianus, Coues, Pr. Philad. Acad. 1862, p. 296°. 
Larus argentatus smithsonianus, Coues, Key N. Amer. Birds, p. 3127; Stone, Pr. Acad. Phil. 1890, 
p. 202°; A.O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 19°; Nelson, N. Amer. Fauna, 
no. 14, p. 23°. 
Supra pallide margaritaceo-cinereus; tectricibus alarum majoribus, secundariis et scapularibus late albo 
terminatis, fasciam transalarem conspicuam exhibentibus; primariis nigris, plus minusve interne griseo 
notatis, omnibus albo terminatis, internis autem plerumque pallide griseis, subterminaliter nigris ; pileo 
colloque undique, uropygio et supracaudalibus, cauda tota et corpore subtus pure albis; collo postico 
pallide brunneo striato: rostro flavo, ad angulum genydis rubro; pedibus pallide carneis (in exuvie 
flavidis); iride straminea; annulo ophthalmico albo vel pallide flavicante. Long. tota circa 24-0, 
alee 17:0, caude 6°7, culm. 2°35, tarsi 2°45. 
2 haud a mari differt. Long. tota circa 23:0, ale 17°4. (Deser. maris et femine hiem. ex Corpus Christi. 
Mus. nostr.) 
Piil. estiv. pileo colloque postico pure albis, minime brunneo striatis. 
Juv. Grisescenti-brunneus, saturatiore brunneo marmoratus vel maculatus; primariis nigris, vix intus 
grisescentibus ; secundariis brunneis, albido marmoratis ; cauda brunnea, basin versus albido vermiculata ; 
pileo cum collo et facie laterali et prepectore albis brunneo striolatis vel maculatis ; corpore reliquo 
subtus pallide grisescenti-brunneo. (Descr. feminw junioris ex Ventura, California. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Norra America? generally, breeding from Maine, Northern New York, the Great 
Lakes, and Minnesota northwards, south in winter to Lower California 9.—Mexico, 
eastern coast (Berlandier 2), off Progreso, Yucatan (Stone & Baker ®), western 
coast of Mexico3, Isabel I., off San Blas, Tres Marias Is. (Nelson 10)—_-WEst 
Inpies 3,— ARCTIC AND TEMPERATE EvroPE °. 
The Herring-Gull of North America is by some authors separated from the European 
L. argentatus, under the name of L. smithsonianus. It has been recognized as 
distinct by the Committee cf the American Ornithologists’ Union®; but recently 
Professor J. A. Allen has shown conclusively that the Herring-Gulls of the Old and 
New Worlds are identical®, thus confirming the opinion of Messrs. Baird, Brewer, 
and Ridgway in America”, and Mr. Howard Saunders in this country °. 
L. argentatus breeds in the arctic and subarctic regions of North America, and on 
the inland lakes as far south as 40° N. on the Atlantic coast®, In Central America it 
+3 a winter visitant and has been seldom recorded. Mr. Nelson procured an immature 
