Capt. SaB1NE's Memoir on the Birds of Greenland, &c. 547 
between the two species is in the difference of size; the males 
of this species average twenty-four inches in length, and the fe- 
males rather less : extent four feet five to four feet six inches: the 
legs and bill of both are alike, except insize: length of the tarsus 
two inches and a half; the wings of the argentatus are rather 
longer in proportion than those of the glaucus. j 
These birds were abundant in Davis’s Straits and Baffin’s Bay, 
but were only seen in mature summer plumage: from analogy it 
may be expected that the immature birds will resemble those of 
the Glaucous Gull. 
I should have been disposed to have considered this bird as a 
new and undescribed species; but in a personal communication 
with Mr. Temminck, whose extensive skill and judgement in or- 
nithology are only equalled by the liberality and kindness with 
which he communicates his knowledge, I have learned that he 
considers the bird of Greenland to be specifically the same with 
the Herring Gull of the more southern shores of Europe; but 
that from the effect of climate the black markings of the primary 
quill-feathers, which have been hitherto considered an essential 
characteristic of the species, are changed to white in the arctic 
countries. ‘The mature summer birds of Greenland (in which 
state only I have seen them) certainly strongly resemble our Her- 
ring Gull in all other points. In deference therefore to such high 
authority, I add the synonyms of the authors I quote belonging 
to that bird, as it is found in temperate climates. , 
L. Fuscus. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. 815. Müll. no. 164. Faun. Suec. 54.—L. Glaucus. 
Temm.493.—Herring Gull. Lath. Syn.vi.372. Br. Zool. ii.181. Mont. Dict.& Supp. 
MATURE WINTER. L. Argentatus. Gmel. i. 600. Briin. no. 149.—Silvery 
Gull. Lath. Syn. vi. 875. Arct. Zool. ii. 555. 
MATURE SUMMER. L. Fuscus. Gmel.i. 599. Brün. no. 142.—Herring Gull. 
Arct. Zool. ii. 527. | : | | 
IMMATURE. L. Varius. Brün. no. 150.—W agel. Æret. Zool. Supp. 70. - 
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