LARID^ — THE GULLS AND TERNS — LARUS. 263 



and in some summers single immature birds may be seen throughout the season ; no 

 old ones are seen in summer. Specimens have been secured in the fall as late as 

 November 7 ; these vary greatly in size, differing in length from twelve inches to 

  fourteen and one half. 



Audubon met with this Gull in the neighborhood of Cincinnati in August, 1819. 

 After the female had been shot, another bird, evidently her mate, alighted immediately 

 by her side to share her fate. Audubon afterward met with the same species on the 

 Mississippi. In May, 1833, he observed this bird in great numbers in the Passama- 

 qvioddy, at Eastport. At low water they covered all the sand and mud bars in the 

 neighborhood. They were very gentle, scarcely heeding his near presence ; and his son 

 shot seventeen at a single discharge of his double-barrelled gun. They were all young 

 birds of the preceding year. There were no indications in either sex that they would 

 probably breed that season. He found their stomachs filled with coleopterous insects 

 which they had caught on the wing or picked up from the water. On the 24th of 

 August, 1831, he shot ten others in the same locality. In their stomachs were shrimps 

 and small fish. None were observed by Audubon in any part of the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, on the coast of Labrador, or of Newfoundland. In the winter he found these 

 Gulls common in the harbor of Charleston ; but never saw any at that season about 

 the mouths of the Mississippi. The flight of this bird he describes as being light, 

 elevated, and rapid, more resembling that of Terns than is usually the case with 

 Gulls. Audubon, as well as Yarrell, refers this bird to Greenland; but Professor 

 Reinhardt thinks this reference incorrect. 



Individuals of this species have been shot in various parts of Europe. One was 

 taken near Belfast in 1848, and another was shot on the coast. In 1851 one was shot 

 on Loch Lomond, in Scotland, and another on a lake in the North of England ; and 

 since that time several others have been taken in that district. 



Mr. Donald Gunn found a few of this species breeding in the marshes of Swan 

 Creek, not far from Shoal Lake, in company with the Franklin Gull. 



Mr. Dall found these birds not uncommon in the marshes near the Yukon, but rare 

 near the main river. They were most numerous on the Kaigul Eiver, where they 

 were breeding, not far from Nulato. Their eggs have been obtained near Fort 

 Yukon ; and the birds themselves are not very rare at Sitka, where Bischoff obtained 

 several specimens. 



Mr. MacFarlane found this species breeding in the wooded regions in the neigh- 

 borhood of Fort Anderson. All the nests were placed either in bushes or on trees, 

 at various heights from the ground — none less than four feet, and others from fifteen 

 to twenty feet. One, found June 23, 1864, was on a tree and at a height of from 

 twelve to fourteen feet ; it was between two small ponds of water about a hundred 

 feet from either. The eggs were fresh, indicating that this pair must have nested 

 unusually late. Another nest, found on the following day, was on the dry branch of 

 a pine-tree, and Avas about ten feet from the ground. There were no sticks in this 

 nest, but it was composed of dark velvety pine-leaves and fine down. He mentions 

 meeting with this Gull in that season much more frequently on his line of travel 

 than on any other occasion ; while it was much later than usual in nesting. 



Mr. Kennicott found this Gull nesting in the neighborhood of Fort Yukon, and 

 describes the nest as being of about the size of that of Zenaidura carolinensis, but the 

 cavity is rather deeper. It was placed on the side-branch of a green spruce, several 

 feet from the trunk, and about twenty feet from the ground, near a lake. Mr. Kenni- 

 cott saw several nests near this one, all alike and in similar positions, except that 

 some were not over ten feet froni the ground, and were on smaller trees ; but all were 



