NATATORES — LARID.E — LARUS. 311 



BONAPARTE'S GULL. 



Larus bonapartii. 



PLATE CXXXI. FIG. 287 (summer), 288 (winter). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Larus bonapartii. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 425, pi. 72 (summer). Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 294. 



Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 7, p. 131, pi. 442 (male, female and young). 

 Xema id. Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List, p. 62. Kirtland, Zool. Ohio. 

 X. id. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 259. 



Characteristics. Bill slender, black. Wings edged with white. Above pearl-grey. First 

 quill black on the upper surface of its outer web. Summer, with a 

 greyish black or brownish hood. Winter and young, without the hood. 

 Length, 14 "5. 



Description. Bill slender, straight, notched at the tip ; length along the ridge 1 • 3, and 

 0"3 deep at the very slight mental angle. Tail nearly even, slightly rounded. First quill 

 longest. 



Color. Summer : Bill black : feet reddish or orange-yellow. Back and wings above 

 pearl-grey. The hood extending down the nape and throat, but not so far as in the preceding 

 species : it is greyish black in the male, and reddish brown in the female. A small white 

 spot partly surrounds the eye behind. First quill on its inner web, second on both webs, and 

 inner webs of the third, fourth and fifth white ; both webs of all ending in black, but tipped 

 with white- Neck, breast, tail and tail-coverts above and all beneath pure white, occasionally 

 with a faint rosaceous tint. Winter: Head and neck white, with a dark spot before the 

 eyes and on the auriculars : nape pearl-grey. Chin, sides of the neck, rump, tail and all 

 beneath white. First quill black on its outer web, except a small spot near the tip ; both 

 webs of the following, white, inclining to pearl-grey on the inner webs, black at their ends, 

 and tipped with white ; fifth quill pearl-grey on both webs, the black mark extending along 

 the margin of the inner web, and, with the three following, tipped with grey, the black be- 

 coming subsequently obsolete. Mantle pearl-grey. 



Length, 14-0-15-0. 



This is a northern species, breeding from Maine to the arctic circle. In the winter it de- 

 scends along the coast to Florida, and in the interior along the great lakes. It is one of the 

 most common species on our coast. I am indebted to Professor James Hall for a beautiful 

 specimen in its summer dress, shot April 29, in Schoharie creek, about thirty miles from 

 Albany. 



