LARID.E — THE GULLS AND TERNS — LARUS. 



253 



Adult, in winter : Similar, but the head and upper parts of the neck dusky grayish brown. Youny, 

 first plumage: Sooty f^rayish brown, lighter and more grayish beneath ; wing-coverts, scapulars, 

 rump feathers, and upper tail-coverts, bordered terminally with grayish white ; remiges dusky 

 black ; tail blackish dusky, very narrowly tipped with white. Bill brownish, the terminal third 

 black ; legs and feet brownish black. 

 Young (^second year ?) : Similar to the 

 preceding, but without light margins 

 to wing-coverts, etc., the general color 

 rather darker, and the tail without 

 white tip. Bill light reddish for basal 

 two thirds, the end black ; legs and feet 

 brownish black. 



Total length, about 17.50 inches ; 

 wing, 13.50 ; tail, 5.50 ; biU, from gape, 

 2.50. 



Heermann's Gull — or the 

 White-headed Gull, as this species 

 is called by Mr. Cassin — was first 

 made known by him as a North 

 American bird in 1852, and is said 

 to be one of the handsomest of the 



large family to which it belongs. It was first noticed by Dr. A. L. Heermann, who 

 found it of frequent occurrence on the coast of California, and most numerous in the 

 harbor of San Diego in the month of March, at which time, although a few of these 

 birds were in mature plumage, yet a large proportion of them were evidently in an 

 immature dress. This Gull was usually observed to be flying in company with L. occi- 

 dentalis, and to be engaged in the capture of small fishes, of which there were many 

 species in the harbor of San Diego. It also appeared to feed on the small maritime 

 animals of various kinds which inhabit the immense beds of kelp (Macrocystis) occur- 

 ring on that coast, and which are so extensive off the harbor of San Diego. The nests 

 and eggs of this bird were found by Dr. Heermann on the Coronados, a group of 

 islands lying a short distance outside the entrance of this harbor. 



Mr. Salvin met with this species on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, several speci- 

 mens having been taken near Chiapam, all in their immature plumage. The Gulls 

 were usually noticed along the shore, and not in the lagoons. 



Mr. Henshaw speaks of this species as being common all along the coast of Cali- 

 fornia, and as breeding upon many of the adjacent islands. A very large flock were 

 pursuing their way along the shore near Santa Barbara, and later in the day he came 

 upon them where they had settled on a rocky point that jutted out into the water. 

 Many were fishing, hovering over the half-submerged kelp-covered rocks, the shallow 

 water surrounding which abounded in the smaller kinds of fish. At the discharge 

 of his gun the mass of birds flew wildly about, and it was some time before they left 

 the place. The flock was composed of old males ; and it was evident that the journey 

 was one between their breeding-grounds and the fishing-place, where there was 

 probably an unusual abundance of food fitted for their young. Mr. R. Browne met 

 with this species on the coast of Vancouver Island. 



Dr. Cooper writes that he has noticed this Gull along the entire Pacific coast, and 

 that it was abundant in winter ; but that he found it rather rare in summer, and saw 

 none of this species between April and the end of June, at which latter date he saw 

 some of the young of that year about the islands, though he could find no evidence of 

 their having been hatched there. Referring to the statement of Dr. Heermann that 



