20 Birds of Colorado 



only record is that of W. G. Smith who took it at Loveland, on May 

 6th, while Anthony examined one in Denver, stated to have been 

 killed near by. Felgor reports that IVIiss Patten noticed this GuU, 

 May 8th,1905, near Yuma, and Hersey (09) saw one at Barr, October 

 17th, 1907. 



Habits. — This beautiful Gull, called by the farmers 

 on the plains of eastern Kansas the "Prairie Pigeon" 

 or " Prairie Dove," is frequently found far from water 

 on arable lands in the spring, foUowdng the plough and 

 picking up worms and insects, while in the autumn 

 it destroys immense numbers of grasshoppers. In Utah, 

 Mr. Bailey tells us that Brigham Young used to offer 

 up prayers that they should be sent to destroy the locusts 

 and destructive insects. It seems strange that it should 

 have been so seldom noticed in Colorado. 



The nest is placed on the ground, on islands among 

 lakes and rivers or often in marshes and sloughs, and 

 is made chiefly of rushes and grasses. They breed in 

 large communities. The eggs, usually three, vary a 

 good deal, but are generally olive-green to drab, 

 splashed with bold markings of sepia. They measure 

 about 2-1 X 1-44. 



Bonaparte's Gull. Larus Philadelphia. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 60— Colorado Records— Ridgway 79, p. 232; 

 Morrison 89, p. 147 ; Cooke 94, p.l82 ; 97, pp. 51, 155, 193 ; H. G. Smith 

 96, p. 48. 



Description. — Adult in summer — Head all round slaty-black ; a white 

 ring round the eye broken in front ; mantle pearl-grey, rest of plumage 

 white, washed with rosy below ; outer primary white with the outer 

 web and tip black, the next five white, tipped with black ; iris dark 

 brown ; eyelids red, bill black, legs red. Length 13 ; wing 10-0 ; tail 

 3'6 ; culmen 1*0; tarsus 1-25. 



In winter the head is white tinged with grey behind, and there is 

 a dusky spot on the ear -coverts and in front of the eye ; the bill is lighter 

 coloured at the base of the lower mandible and the feet flesh. 

 Young birds in the first winter are like the winter birds but 

 have a patch of dusky on the wing-coverts and black on the outer 



