LARUS. 31 



than .50 of an inch wide, and 

 often extending to the extreme 

 tip; length 22.50-26.00, wing 

 16.25-17.50 (17.24), culraen 1.95- 

 2.50 (2.24), depth of bill through 

 angle .68-.85 (.79), tarsus 2.30- 

 2.80 (2.57), middle toe (without 

 claw) 1.85-2.25 (2.10). Eggs 

 2.85 X 2.01. Hah. Whole of 

 North America, south, in win- 

 ter, to Cuba and Lower Califor- 

 nia ; breeding from Maine, etc., 



northward 51a. L. argen- 



tatus smithsonianus Coues. 

 American Herring Gull. 

 i"^. Lower mandible with a black spot near end, 

 the upper also sometimes with a black 

 spot. 

 Adult: Mantle deep plumbeous-gray, 

 as in L. cachinnans ; bill yellow, with 

 red spot near end of lower mandible, 

 this enclosing, or adjacent to, a 

 smaller black spot ; iris deep brown, 

 and feet (in life) pale pea-green or 

 sage-green. Young : Above coarsely 

 spotted with brownish gray and pale 

 grayish buff, or dull whitish, the 

 quills and tail-feathers dull blackish ; 

 head, neck, and lower parts mottled 

 or clouded with grayish white or 

 brownish gray ; bill dusky with black 

 tip. Downy young : Grayish white, 

 the head with irregular black spots, 

 most numerous above; upper parts 

 clouded with dusky grayish. Length 

 20.00-23.00, wing 15.00-16.75, culmen 

 1.65-2.15, depth of bill at angle .60- 

 .75, tarsus 2.00-2.60, middle toe (with- 

 out claw) 1.70-1.95. Eggs 2.61 X 

 1.80. Hab. Western North America, 

 chiefly in the interior, from Mexico 



to Alaska 53. L. californicus 



Laavr. California Gull. 

 g'^. Depth of bill through angle contained at least four 

 and a half times in the length of the tarsus. 



